Baker Street Irregulars
by Ulura
Summary: Sequel to The Irregulars. The Irregulars continue to baffle and amaze the police force on London under the watchful eye of Sherlock. London's strangest family continues to live, laugh and cry together. Mixture of Genres
1. Chapter 1: Intro

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

**This story takes place one year after the ending of The Irregulars. **

Sergeant Myers was excited about his transfer over to Scotland Yard, he'd only recently moved to London and was thankful to have some familiarity in his work. Of course Scotland Yard was a lot more complex and busy than the SBPD but that was ok, it was an adventure. He was assigned to work under Detective Inspector Lestrade, he seemed nice enough as did his other colleagues it was the infamous Holmes he was dying to meet however. Even over in America the detective was well known and now he was not only working with his police force, but under the DI that was his friend.

He was just coming back from break when he first caught a glimpse of the detective, the man was rambling off a long list of deductions to Lestrade. Myers was gobsmacked as he watched the man deduce the most intimate details of the people around him in frustration, with ease. He'd heard the man was made of ice, guess they weren't exaggerating, h seemed like a sociopath to him. Deciding it was best to wait until the man was in a better mood to meet him Myers continued down the hall to the break room.

"You're new" came a small voice he turned to see a girl with black hair looking up at him, she couldn't of been older than 8 or 9. She was wearing a thick blue scarf despite the fact that it was a warm day.

"Uh yeah" He replied, "Why are you in the police station?"

"American interesting, I'd say from somewhere coastal too judging by your tan" She continued, ignoring Myers's question.

"Santa Barbara, yeah" Myers continued, "Now why are you here, are you supposed to be in the holding cells?"

"I'm Halie and no, I'm working in the labs" She replied as if it were the most casual thing in the world, "Have you seen my Uncle Lestrade? I need to tell him some things"

Ah, that was it. This girl was obviously Lestrade's niece whom he had to look after for the day. The DI must of put her in one of the photo labs or something to keep herself entertained. After all, she couldn't possibly mean she was working in the crime labs.

"He's in there talking with Sherlock Holmes" Myers answered, "I'd wait until he is done, Holmes seems riled up"

"That wont bother me" Halie replied walking down the hall, Myers felt sorry for her, Holmes didn't seem like the kind of man who would stop his raging, even for a child. She was probably going to end up in tears.

Myers continued on his way until he turned the corner and stopped dead. A young woman around his age was standing int he hall looking bored, she had the brightest green eyes Myers had ever seen, Scotland Yard just got better and better.

"Hello," She greeted, "You're a new face"

"Name's Myers" He held out his hand which she shook.

"American, interesting" She smiled, he laughed.

"You're the second person to say that today" Hr chuckled

"Oh? Who was the first?" She asked

"Lestrade's niece" He sighed, "Bright kid"

"His niece?" She raised an eyebrow. Obviously she didn't know the DI had a niece.

"Yeah, little girl names Halie" He continued, "Now, I didn't get your name"

"It's Mira" She smiled, "I didn't know Halie was here, I hope one of her brothers or sisters is too, I don't like her being alone"

"Oh so you do know her then" Myers was making good progress with her, "I thought it was a little irresponsible, letting a child wander around here"

"Oh no need to worry, her father has trained her well" Mira waved her hand about, "She can look after herself. Oh, hello Sally"

Donovan and Anderson stepped out into the hall, Myers could feel the air fizzing with tension. Obviously who ever Mira was, she was not well liked by his colleagues. This theory was proved moments later when Mira very obviously excused herself to check a text she didn't get, Donovan huffed.

"What were you two talking about?" Anderson asked, "Nothing interesting I'll bet"

"Just about Lestrade's niece" Myers supplied, "What's the problem with her?"

"Lestrade doesn't have a niece" Donovan supplied looking confused.

"I met her earlier though..." Myers blinked, "Little girl, Halie?"

"Oh doesn't the Holmes bunch refer to Lestrade as Uncle?" Anderson cut it.

Holmes bunch? Holmes as in Sherlock Holmes?

"Is one of them named Halie?" Donovan asked Anderson, obviously not noticing Myers confusion, Anderson shrugged.

"You'd have to ask John" Anderson sighed, "Personally I think there are too many to count"

"What are you talking about?" Myers finally asked

"Sherlock Holmes" Anderson practically spat the name, "I'm pretty sure you met one his brats"

"His brats?" Myers gaped, they couldn't possibly mean-

"His kids, he's got fourteen of them" Anderson smirked, Myers Jaw dropped.

"But he's-"

"A sociopath?" Donovan supplied

"A freak?" Anderson added

"Well I wouldn't say-"

"Trust me you will" Anderson nodded knowingly, "That's his wife over there"

"Mira's his WIFE?" Myers choked, feeling the heat seek to his face, she hadn't been wearing a ring.

"Hey idiot, have you seen my father?"

The voice came from a small blonde girl with curly hair, wearing the same blue scarf as Halie.

"Another one of Holmes's?" Myers asked, Donovan nodded.

"He'll be here soon Natty" Mira supplied making Myers jump from shock. How did she sneak up on him like that?

"So uh...fourteen kids?" Could he of picked anything more stupid to say?

"Yes" She laughed, "Natty here is one of them"

"Ah there you are" Sherlock came strolling down the hall, Halie at his heels.

"Sherlock I wish you would supervise her in the labs" Mira sighed, Halie grinned.

"She can look after herself" The detective waved her off, "Come, John's just discovered my little experiment, I need to get back to Baker Street before he blows a gasket"

**This is just an intro chapter, I'm taking requests :) PS. SBPD means Santa Barbara Police Department**


	2. Chapter 2: Smoking

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

John couldn't help but notice Joe had started looking more and more like Sherlock every day. He had the same sense of style that Sherlock did, long sleeved shirts and black pants were pretty common and when mixed with his black coat and scarf it was surreal. The one thing the boy didn't share with Sherlock however was his hoodie. Joe had started wearing it a few months ago and had become a favorite of his. Sherlock told him Joe used to wear them all the time when he first found him, they were good for stealing. Not that Joe stole anymore.

He was a wonderful brother to the other Irregulars, happy and kind. When SHerlock had a case he would help teach the younger ones and he helped them earn money through odd jobs over the city. He often fixed up things the others fished out of garbage piles, then sold them.

Through John couldn't help but notice the change that was taking place, It started with small things. First he started wearing less smart clothing and ore jeans and his hoodie, he was sixteen, fair enough. Then he started staying out later and later at night, Halie informed John that some nights he didn't come home at all. He skipped half his lessons with Sherlock and stopped volunteering to help out on cases. Instead of taking odd jobs and fixing up old things to sell he spent most of his days sleeping, sometimes John didn't set eyes on the boy for days. However John didn't fully realize the extent of the change until one afternoon when Sherlock was talking to him.

"We'll need you to go in under cover" Sherlock was explaining, Joe looked bored.

"Can't Halie do it? She's almost as old as I am" Joe groaned

"It must be a boy, surely you can see you are the logical choice" Sherlock argued

"So what? I'm busy" He grumbled

"With what?" John asked suspiciously

"None of your bloody business John" He snapped

"Joseph!" Sherlock scolded

"Oh take a chill pill Dad" Joe rolled his eyes and flicked his hood up over his face and left the room without another word. Sherlock simply narrowed his eyes and went about creating a plan that didn't include Joe but John could tell he was slightly worried by his behavior.

...

That night John went walking, he wasn't sure where he was going but he knew he wanted to find Joe. However the odds were he wouldn't, London was a big place. It was normal for teenagers to rebel a bit, he knew that. He'd just hoped Joe had gotten it all out of his system when he was younger with his petty theft. Slowly he became aware that he was in a bad part of town, he really should get a cab. He was just about to when he heard laughter coming from an alley. Inside were several teenagers sitting on boxes and dumpsters, smoking and drinking.

That wasn't unusual really, but the fact that Joe was there, grinning while holding a cigarette to his lips was.

"Whatcha looking at ya rube!" One of the more drunk boys yelled, Joe's eyes locked with John's he flipped his hood up in a vain attempt to hide his face.

"I think you'd better go home" John said firmly

"Don't order us around ya ponce" A girl rolled her eyes, "You know this chump Joe?"

"He's sort of my uncle" Joe admitted slowly sounding annoyed, "A friend of my old man"

"Well he's a downer, get rid of him mate" The boy growled, John's eyes hardened.

"Joe, come on we're going home" He ordered, "It's not a request"

After a few moments, Joe still hadn't moved, John could tell he was conflicted with what choice to make.

"You know your fathers methods," John continued, "Maybe you should use them to deduce what a life like this will lead to"

John started to walk away, he heard laughter coming form the alley way once more, he sighed.

...

At first the doctor though he hadn't gotten through to the boy but just like before, slowly a change was taking place. The clothes became neater, he was home at reasonable hours and Sherlock started to 'complain' that his nicotine patches were disappearing. However John had no doubt the detective knew who was taking them, he could tell by the way he said it.

Joe knew his father had figured out his little smoking habit, that much was obvious. However as far as John knew they never spoke about it, Sherlock complained about his missing patches when ever Joe was around and joe would pretend not to know about it. It was Sherlock's way of showing he was proud. Unorthodox and silly, but it was their way.


	3. Chapter 3: French

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

* * *

**I'd break out the google translate for this one children :P**

Lestrade and Donovan stepped out of the police car with the latest crime documents for Sherlock, a series of very strange murders were occurring over the city. It was right up the man's alley. Donovan knocked on the door and heard voices from within that made her eye brows raise.

"Marie, ouvre la porte s'il-te-plaît" Came Sherlock's voice

"Oui Papa" Came a girls voice, the little girl, Marie smiled at Lestrade.

"Hello Uncle Lestrade" She greeted ushering him in, glaring at Sally, "Sergeant"

"Qui est-ce Marie?" Called Sherlock

"Lestrade et une idiote" Marie called

"Donovan?" Sherlock's voice replied dryly

"Oui!" Marie smiled as they went up the stairs.

Lestrade didn't seem fazed at all by the French conversation, Sally didn't even know the freak spoke French. They entered the living room to see John sitting at the table clicking away on his laptop, he gave them a smile as a greeting. Sherlock was sitting in his chair, handing in the prayer position with Mira sitting on the ground leaning against his leg, book in hand. Mason and Mikey were sitting on the couch playing cards.

"Merci Marie, maintenant s'il-te-plaît retourne t'exercer" Mira smiled indicating to the violin sitting in the corner, which the girl then picked up and began playing quiet scales on.

"You all speak French?" Sally gaped

"Obviously" Sherlock drawled, "What do you have for me?"

"Seriously all fourteen of your kids speak French!" Sally continued, Lestrade handed over the folder. Mira nodded since Sherlock lost interest.

"Moi aussi" John cut in, grinning ear to ear.

"You as well?" Sally gasped

"I did just say so" John sighed, "It's impossible not to pick it up"

"Je parle italien, français, espagnol et allemand. C'est toujours utile comme capacité" Sherlock continued, it all sounded like drivel to Sally.

"Crétin" the boys giggled from the couch, having apparently lost interest in their game.

Though she didn't understand French Sally knew when she was being insulted, she was about to give them an earful when Lestrade gave her the shock of her life.

"Il n'y a pas de raison d'être impolis les garçons" He scolded

"YOU speak it too?" the sergeants jaw dropped.

"A little" Lestrade admitted

"This makes no sense!" Sherlock announced leaping to his feet, making Mira jump.

"The only thing that connects these murders are the words RYHME carved into their foreheads!" Sherlock growled, "How am I to predict the murders next move if its always completely random!"

If it hadn't meant more innocent deaths Sally would enjoyed seeing the detective stumped for once.

"Even the bodies make no sense!" he yelled, "The first thee, it's a number pattern, 3 Blackstone road, 6 Hyrule Avenue, 9 Brinks Street. Then it goes haywire, one covered in goose feathers, the next in wine!"

"C'est très étrange..." Mira muttered

"The next body will be on the train tracks" Marie supplied, sounding bored, all eyes flew to her.

"She's right" Mason added, "The one after that will have been choked"

"The one after that will probably be in a boat" Mikey supplied. Sherlock blinked at them.

"And you know this how?" John asked, the kids smiled and to everybody's surprise, began to sing.

"Three, six, nine, the goose drank wine. The monkey chewed tabacco on the street car line! The line broke, the monkey got choked and we all went to heaven in a little row boat!"

"Oh I remember that" John smiled, "The Clapping Song"

"I used to sing that all the time when I was a little girl" Mira grinned, "I didn't make the connection, well done you three"

"Merveilleux! Bien joué les enfants! Je vous récompenserai dès que j'aurai fini mon travail" Sherlock smiled.

"Merci Papa!" The three children beamed

"Not chocolate, they were bouncing off the walls last time" John groaned

"Can't you all just stick to one language?" Sally sighed, "Your giving me a headache with all this back and forth"

"Ne réfléchis pas trop, ton cerveau n'y est pas habitué" Mira grinned

"Mira!" Lestrade scolded.

"What it's true" She defended, Sherlock chuckled placing a quick kiss to her forehead.

"I'm off, Come on John we've got work to do!" Sherlock announced

"Right" John closed his laptop looking excited.

"Where are you going?" Lestrade asked as the men practically flew out the door. They didn't give any response, John because he most likely didn't know and Sherlock because he didn't care to tell.

"Salut papa!"

**Thanks to ChocolateandCheese for translating the French for me :)**


	4. Chapter 4: Runaway

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

* * *

Prompt from Alex455

Gangs were not as common in London as other big cities, however they did exist and this one was at the top of it's game. It had taken almost three weeks for him to get and solid information and now, finally he was going to confront them with John. Well, he was trying.

"Pleeeeeease, please please dad!" Clara begged, "I was the one to over hear the meeting time, I can help!"

"This gang is dangerous Clara's, I said no!" Sherlock cut in, he felt an odd swirling in his stomach and was reminded of his last argument with Sam. He had to be careful about what he said, last time he had lost one of the Irregulars, he wouldn't take that risk again. He needed to make sure she didn't follow him, even if it meant being cruel.

"Clara you would be of no use there!" He bellowed.

"But I-"

"No. That is final. You would only get in our way," She continued, "If a part is useless you get rid of it, I don't need you!"

He could see John giving him a look of disapproval, however judging by the nod he agreed. Only John really understood what he was doing and though he didn't approve of the method, he wasn't going to stop the detective. Clara gaped at him before hiding behind her long red hair, her butterfly clip stopping it before it fully covered her face. She left for 222 immediately.

"It was necessary" Sherlock sighed at John.

"I know, you were a little harsh though, she's only five" John pointed out, Sherlock just grunted. He'd make it up to her when they got back from beating up gang members.

...

To say he was in a bad mood was an understatement, Lestrade's lackey's had ruined everything, more than half the gang's members escaped! The had a little under a dozen of them in custody and now it would take weeks to round up the rest. When he returned to Baker street he could tell something was wrong, several Irregulars were standing by the door to 222 nervously. They were planning something and the door was wide open, they had been going in and out so often they hadn't bothered to close it.

"What's going on?" He asked, the children glanced to one another nervously before Carlo spoke up.

"She's gone, we've searched everywhere." He admitted

"Who's gone?" John asked, though the look on his face said he suspected what Sherlock did.

"Clara." Natty admitted.

Sherlock was up in the room she shared with the Emily before he even realized he was moving. Clara's cupboard was open, a good deal of her warmest clothes gone.

_No._

Her backpack was missing from it's usual place at the foot of her bed.

_Please no._

A white sheet was tied to the end of her bed, leading out the window. Sherlock stuck his head out to see the sheet dangling a meter or so off the ground.

_Oh God no..._

Mentally kicking himself he went into over drive trying to suss out where Clara would of gone. Why did he always say the wrong things! He should of made them stay in the home, no that would of been a mistake! He was so frustrated!No time for that, focus, get rid of emotions...

"Parks" He said to nobody in particular, "Clara loved parks, she'll be hiding in a bigger one"

He rushed past John, who was only just getting up the stairs, he heard him groan and turn around. They ran across London faster than they ever had before. Mira, the Irregulars and even Lestrade searched. To the outside observer Sherlock was calm, firing off deduction on where to look next every minute however it was not the case. Sherlock was almost in a full blown panic attack, of course John noticed, the man was working twice as hard to help the detective stay calm.

They searched all night but they still didn't find her.

...

John had never seen Sherlock so close to frantic, he spent more than he ever had on the homeless network, trying to get a scrap of information on Clara's whereabouts. He'd actually forgotten all about finding the remaining gang members, he was a man on a mission, a father on a mission. He even begged Mycroft to let him look at the CCTV footage, begged! The action had been so out of character that Mycroft's eyes had practically bulged out of his skull. It was all for nothing though.

They spent days pouring over tape after tape, John's eyes stung from looking at the screens for so long but none of them housed the face they were looking for. Clara was a small girl, intelligent and trained in Sherlock's methods. She knew how to stay in blind spots and blend in with the crowd, it was nearly impossible. How where they going to find one little girl in such a huge city?

It had been nearly two weeks now, John was with the detective at a small festival in Hyde park. Small food booths and street performers were everywhere, performing my moon and candle light, it was the perfect place to look for Clara. The doctor had been idly watching some jugglers when it caught his eye, a butterfly clip, woven between strands of long red hair that disappeared into a black beanie.

"Sherlock!" He hissed pulling on the detectives arm with one hand, pointing with the other. For a few seconds the entire world was in slow motion, Clara turned, her eyes latched onto Sherlock's and they stared at one another. She then turned and bolted.

"Clara!" Sherlock yelled giving chase, the girl disappeared into the trees as the side of the festivities, no more candle light to aid the two men in their search. Every few seconds John would catch a glimpse of red hair between trees and then she leapt into the branches and was gone. Jumping from branch to branch above their heads, soon she was gone with the wind.

"Clara!" Sherlock bellowed, "Clara where are you?"

Silence.

"CLARA!"

**Thankyou for the prompt :) **

**Just to clear a few things up, no Mira doesn't live at 222 she lives at her own house. She just visits a lot obviously, in the last chapter I had Sherlock kiss her for two reasons:**

**Messing with Donovan****In the first episode he did the same thing to Mrs. Hudson when he got excited about the case. **

**Also, do people want to see Myers again? I was just using him as a introductory tool in the first chapter because I wanted somebody who didn't know Sherlock had kids.**

**ALSO I know have a simple little Tumblr blog with links and pictures for all my stories and videos :)**

**http: / / uluras reality . tumblr . com /**


	5. Chapter 5: Runaway II

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

* * *

A month.

A full month.

Even John felt constant worry for the tiny girl out on the streets somewhere, cold and alone. The first snows of winter would be starting any day now, she could freeze to death and if that happened John knew Sherlock would never forgive himself.

"I don't have time for that gang case Lestrade I told you." Sherlock sighed as he glanced over Missing Persons online for the third time that day.

"Just a few deductions from these photographs Sherlock," Lestrade begged, "It will let your brain rest for a bit, then you can go back to searching for Clara with fresh eyes."

"He has a point" John had to admit, "It's like when you get stuck trying to solve a puzzle and then after taking a break the answer becomes obvious."

"Fine hand me the folder." Sherlock sighed looking annoyed as he emptied the contents onto the kitchen table.

"The gang members are still furious, they killed several people last night," Lestrade said gravely, "Scalped a few of them too, God knows why."

"That would explain all the patches of hair laying around." John felt disgusted looking at all the bodies and hair, why scalp people of all things? Some of it didn't look too bad, like somebody had grabbed the hair and taken a knife to it, close cut to the skull, others were bloody.

Suddenly Sherlock stood, dropping the photo he'd been looking at on the floor. Both John and Lestrade were about to ask him what he was doing but before they got the chance Sherlock had made it to the sink and proceeded to be violently sick. Both the men were dumbstruck, sure these pictures were sick but they had all seen more mutilated bodies before, why should this make Sherlock react for violently. John was surprised he even had food in his stomach to throw up.

"Sherlock what the hell?" Lestrade exclaimed going to the detectives side while John opted to pick up the photo that evoked the reaction.

"Oh God!" John felt his own stomach clench as he laid eyes on the picture, slowly he handed it to Lestrade.

The picture contained one of the piles of scalped hair, it appeared as if somebody had cut off a pony tail. The hair itself was long, red and contained a small, pink butterfly pin.

...

_Oh God oh God she's dead, she was killed by gangsters. Oh God._

_No Sherlock calm down, it was just her hair, there was no blood on it, she could of gotten away._

_Oh but she's so small! She's tiny even for a five year old! _

_But she's fast, don't forget that, she is fast. _

_Doesn't change the fact that she is just a kid. A child!_

_Stay calm, they didn't find a body that looked even remotely like her. She's fine. She's fine, she has to be fine!_

"Sherlock, are you ok?" John asked, "You've been sitting there for an hour."

"I'm going to check Hyde Park again." He replied curtly heading out the door before John could follow. Good old Watson, somehow he just knew when Sherlock needed his space.

He walked through the park only really half looking for Clara, he knew she was hiding in here somewhere, but what were the odds he'd find her this time and not the dozens of others? The snow had started falling when he left the flat, now there was a thin layer of it on the ground, tiny flakes continued to fall and get stuck in his curly hair before melting.

He was broken from his disjointed thoughts when a snowball hit his shoulder. He looked over to see a small boy in a hoodie, beanie and baggy trousers looking at him. It was hard to make out his face, the boy had wrapped a dirty scarf around everything but his eyes. Sherlock had been about to ask where the kids parents were when he took off into the trees, a strong gust of wind blowing the hate from his head as he did. Revealing brilliant, badly cut red hair.

_Clara!_

He bolted after her, he wasn't sure how he managed it but soon he was standing in front of her, blocking the girls path. She froze, looking up him through the light snow, she had a bruised cheek, coupled with a small cut on the right side of her face. As suspected somebody had grabbed her pony tail and cut it, leaving her hair short and uneven. The clothes were obviously taken from various places across town, excluding the scarf which was now a dirty grey rather than blue. But she was completely and blissfully alive!

"I...I-um" She stammered, looking down at the ground licking her lips trying to find the right words, "Dad I-"

She never got to finish the sentence because Sherlock had quickly dropped to his knees and enveloped her in a hug. Not even caring that the snow was melting and soaking into his trousers. Clara gripped his coat, her hands were freezing, neither of them said anything for a long time.

"I'm sorry" She whispered after a while, "I figured out...why you said it a while ago..."

"I didn't mean it," Sherlock promised, "You know what happened with Sam, the others must of told you."

He felt her nod, finally noticing the cold Sherlock stood up, lifting the small girl into his arms and wrapping his open coat around her for extra warmth.

"Let's go home." He smiled.

The Irregulars were ecstatic, practically smothering Clara in hugs, making it hard for John to give her a check up. Sherlock text Lestrade, Mycroft and Mira to tell them the news while the good doctor confirmed that she was going to be completely fine in a few days, though it would take a while for her hair to grow back. Clara happily told the story of her life on the street, how frightened she was, but too stubborn to come back, how the gang found her but she managed to get away by climbing the fire escape. The home she made in a hollow tree in Hyde park.

It took Mira less than 10 minutes to get to 221b and scoop the girl up in her arms, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Oh we were so worried about you!" She sighed.

"I'm sorry Mummy." She replied sincerely.

For the first time in a month things at Baker Street were relaxed and happy, Sherlock spent the time observing everybody bustling around happily.

"Thank goodness you found her," Mira breathed, Sherlock nodded.

All was well.

**There was originally a conversation between Mira and Sherlock at the end of this chapter but I decided to save it for a little while. **

**Also if any of you are artists, I'd LOVE a picture or comic of the reunion scene between Clara and Sherlock. I can't draw myself :( *The infinite sadness***

**The cover for this story is on DeviantArt and my blog**


	6. Chapter 6: Kissing

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

* * *

**Prompt: **Nessalozo

Donovan sighed and she watched Sherlock explain the entire kidnapping rings plan while calling everybody who wasn't John or Mira an idiot. How that woman put up with Sherlock Holmes she would never understand, I mean for Gods sakes! Sherlock had just had her pose as an innocent women, gotten her kidnaped on purpose just so she could get info from the inside! Worse still, she seemed to of enjoyed herself!

Donovan's eyes flew to their hands, no rings. Interesting. She tried to think back to those few romantic moments she'd seen the two share but every one she came up with could easily just be friendship, or even sibling love. She was beginning to smell a rat.

...

"Are those kids really yours?" Sally blurted out. Mira gave Sherlock and John a quick look that said, 'we've been caught!'.

"They are." Sherlock said without hesitation, after all, it wasn't lying. They didn't share his DNA but they were his children.

"Are Mira's their mother?" Anderson cut in

"Yes." She replied straight away just as Sherlock did.

"I'm not sure I believe you anymore" Donovan sneered, "I think it's all some trick to make the freak seem more human."

Sherlock could see Mira's eyes turn to slits, why did she have to be so damned loyal when it came to anybody in their 'family'? John apparently saw her temper rising too.

"Mira, maybe you should step outside?" John suggested, she nodded and headed out the door, not before hearing the last few scathing comments from Anderson and Donovan.

"I should of known, no way the freak could get a girl!" Anderson snickered

"No girl is that desperate, no one is!" Donovan snickered back.

For some reason Sherlock felt a small amount of heat rise to his cheeks and he quickly went back to unraveling the kidnapping. Ignoring the officers as he always did, he wasn't sure why it had caused him embarrassment, maybe it was because it bought Irene to mind.

After he'd finished explaining what idiots they were he briskly left the room, he refused to think of it as fleeing. Mira was waiting around the corner when he and John left Lestrade's office, he was about to tell her not to let those idiots get to her through him when she spoke, slightly louder than necessary.

"Don't worry about those two, after all, we know the truth don't we?" She sighed, winking as she did so.

He'd been about to ask her what she was on about when he heard the sound of the office door opening, two sets of footsteps echoed out. Oh. Luckily he worked out what Mira was doing or he might of been horribly surprised when she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. For a second it appeared as if John's eyes were going to pop out of his head before he got it too. The detective had just enough time to close his eyes and hug Mira back before Anderson and Donovan turned the corner.

"Bloody hell you two!" John yelled, "What have I told you about doing that in public! At least give me some warning!"

"What the-" Anderson splutter just as Mira pulled away, giving the two gab smacked officers a smug look.

"Come on you two, James Bond marathon remember?" She smiled turning and walking away. Sherlock and John hurried after, waiting until they were safely in the elevator before cracking up.

"As funny as it was, don't do that again any time soon," Sherlock chuckled, "Honestly I have no idea how you two can find mashing your mouth against somebody else's enjoyable!"

John and Mira seemed to find this comment hilarious because they needed to hold onto the railing to keep from falling over.

"What?" He asked, he hated not understanding something.

"You, Sherlock," John laughed.

"What about me?" He questioned.

"You're a brilliant idiot," Mira giggled, "Completely brilliant, but an idiot."

...

It took almost ten minutes for Mira and himself to calm down, the fact that Sherlock didn't understand something as vital as kissing was just so, strange. The Irregulars grinned when they entered 221b, they had already set up the DVD.

"Can we watch now?" Joe asked, "They keep trying to start it without you!"

"Yes alright" Sherlock sighed, flopping down on the couch. John knew he had probably already deduced the ending of the film from it's DVD description like he always did.

"Mummy let's make popcorn!" Marie declared dragging Mira off. John sat down next to Sherlock.

"How long is she going to keep playing that?" He asked finally, Sherlock raised and eyebrow.

"I mean," John continued, "Pretending to be with you, she can't just keep doing it. Sure it's funny but what about when she actually meets somebody? Wants to have kids of her own?"

"I don't know about the first part," Sherlock said after thinking about it for a second, "But it took me only a few months to figure out she can't have children of her own. Explains her attachment to the Irregulars, don't you think?"

John was about to reply when a series of yells came from the kitchen, the two men looked up to see quite a large amount of the floor, coated in popcorn. Where did they even GET popcorn?

"I told you we should of put the lid on the pot!"

**Quite a few people have PM'd and Reviewed asking for Mira to full on kiss Sherlock for some reason that wasn't romantic. Believe me, coming up with a scenario was not easy!**


	7. Chapter 7: Howl

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

* * *

"You realize we are looking for three hardened criminals?" Lestrade confirmed

"Yes." The detective replied

"And that we need to search this entire forest?" Lestrade continued, "At night in almost complete darkness."

"Yes, really Lestrade I read the report no need to go over it again!" Sherlock snapped

"See I just wanted to check because for some reason there are fourteen children here with you!" Lestrade exclaimed waving a hand towards the chatting Irregulars.

John was there too looking slightly put out, probably because he had to pay for the cabs to get them all here no doubt. Sherlock just raised an eyebrow at the inspector and raised his fingers to his lips letting out a high pitched whistle that bought all the kids to attention.

"Alright!" He announced, "Three men, late forties are hiding in this wood. You all know the drill, if your under 10 no approaching them, just give the signal and head back here. If you are over ten, stay and observe as much as you can."

"Right!" The Irregulars chanted before shooting off into the trees without even a flashlight.

"You can't be serious!" Lestrade cried as he watched them go, "They'll get lost! Or attacked! Or hurt!"

"They know how to handle themselves Lestrade, they lived on the streets of London remember?" Sherlock wrapped his coat around himself to stop the wind before setting off after them, "They can find your criminal much faster than the force, which is yet to arrive I noticed."

Knowing he really didn't have a choice the inspector followed Sherlock and the doctor into the forest, doing his best to keep track of where they were. John seemed much to relaxed, he wished he could trust the Holmes's so blindly. They had been walking for a little over two minutes when a high pitched howl echoed through the air and down to the policeman's ears.

"Great, the wolves are out." He sighed, Sherlock just grinned as the howling continued, he gave John a look.

"You do it Sherlock, it hurts my throat." The doctor sighed, Lestrade was about to ask what 'it' was but before he got the chance Sherlock cupped his hands to his mouth, lifted up his head an howled. Just like a wolf! Had Lestrade not been standing right next to the man when he made the sound he'd of believed it was the real thing. A chorus of others joined his for a few seconds before the whole forest was drenched in silence one more.

"That's the signal I take it." Lestrade said dryly once the howling had ceased, Sherlock nodded.

"It has been a while since we have used it, not really appropriate for London." He drawled, "come on!"

He raced off in the direction of the first howl, slowing as the dim light of a camp fire began to deep through the trees. The three men crouched in the bushes, Lestrade could see several of the elder Irregulars hiding in a similar fashion all around the edge of the camp site, there were his three criminals.

"How are we going to take them down without the rest of the force?" He hissed, Sherlock just looked at him knowingly with 'The face'.

Once again the detective howled, he really was very good at it, the elder Irregulars responded. John pointed down tot he men, Lestrade watched as they jumped, they were getting nervous. Over the next few minutes the Irregulars crawled noisily through bushes, growled, chucked stones at trees and general made the most frightening atmosphere they could for the tree men, who by this point were all on their feet back to back.

"I told ya there were wolves in 'ere!" One hissed, "That damned fire's what lead them to us!"

"Relaxed it doesn't sound like there are many..." Another whispered, "Maybe they'll go away..."

On cue everybody howled, even John and Lestrade joined in, the action was a lot more fun than the inspector thought. The men yelped.

"We're gonna be eaten!" The final one panicked, breaking away from the group.

"Now!" Joh hissed and the three men leapt from their hiding place, tackling a man each. They had been so busy worrying they hadn't seen it coming, it really was a fantastic tactic. Giggling, Joe, Emily, Halie, Dan and Ricky emerged from the trees and followed them back.

"Like our big bad wolves?" Lestrade teased, the man tried to elbow him in the ribs but the handcuffs stopped him, instead he just grumbled.

As ordered, the younger Irregulars were waiting back at their starting point, as was most of Scotland Yard.

"You took them down all by yourself?" Donovan gaped

"Fear and stimulus." Sherlock said simply, "A simple plan I came up with after a trip to Baskerville."

"Unnerve anybody enough and you can always take them by surprise." John explained.

"You know, we just did all your jobs!" Emily laughed, "That can't be good for pay day!"

**Just a short one for now sorry :) As always I'm open to requests. I have a few ideas at the moment but they are all fairly short and I'd like a few longer ones. **

**Just thought I'd mention it. Has anybody else noticed that Baker Street makes ABSOLUTELY no sense? I mean look at it in the show, you go into the front door and up a straight staircase to the second floor, when you open the door there is the living room with the two large windows. So logically the kitchen should be over looking Baker street, yet characters constantly look out the window and down onto Baker street! **

**Look in The Great Game, John storms out of the room at the start of the episode and down the stairs outside, then Sherlock gets off the couch, walks in the opposite direction to the big windows and looks DOWN at John walking away. IT MAKES NO SENSE!**


	8. Chapter 8: Nightmares

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

* * *

Sherlock did not sleep often, however when he did, it was a light sleep. Years of his line of work had made him ready to jump up and defend himself at the first sound of trouble. This had made things difficult when John first moved in as his night terrors easily roused the detective, now however they were practically non-existent. So he was easily awoke by the sound of his door slowly creeping open. He had not slept in two days; groggily he opened his eyes to see bright green orbs staring back.

"Cedric." He muttered sitting up trying to rub the sleep from his eyes.

Cedric was wearing his dark flannel pyjamas, the bottoms were damp but his feet were bare, meaning he'd walked out onto the street and into 221b, he'd probably snuck in Mrs Hudson's window judging from the loose thread on his sleeve.

"Can I stay here tonight?" He asked quietly.

"Why?" Sherlock asked, "222 is much more accommodating for you."

"Cause 'm scared" He admitted slowly hugging himself, "I keep having nightmares…"

Being flat mates with John, of course this was not new to him, however dealing with John and dealing with a child were completely different things! Sherlock was not good at this sort of thing; he had to think of something though. He'd just have to see if he could draw parallels between Cedric and John.

"What was the dream about?" He asked lifting Cedric up onto the bed with him, sometimes explaining made his flat mate feel better. He hoped it would for the boy too.

"You died, but you didn't come back!" He sobbed, "We all got sent 'way…"

Well now he was really stumped, not only was he out of his depth here but he was the cause of the problem in the first place! Why couldn't Cedric of gone to John? He'd of dealt with this much better than he could. Burdens of being a slightly sociopathic father.

"Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere," He said finally, "I'm much happier here."

"We're happier when you're here too Dad." Cedric smiled but his eyes were still shining.

Some how Cedric had slipped under Sherlock's arm and snuggled into his side, well he couldn't fall asleep there. He'd already gotten around 5 hours sleep, that was enough.

"Come on," He urged quickly lowering the boy onto his pillow and covering him with the blankets, "You can sleep here and I'll wait till you fall asleep, alright?"

"Kay." Cedric mumbled already half asleep.

Sherlock sat down on the floor by the bed, leaning against it with his arms folded under his chin. Cedric rolled over and looked straight at Sherlock with his bright green eyes, almost as if he was going to fade away before his eyes.

"Dad, why don't you get scared?" Cedric asked after a little while.

"Everybody gets scared sometimes," He replied honestly, "Even me."

"But you never look scared." Cedric argued, "Even when Clara was gone you stayed all calm and focused."

"That doesn't mean I wasn't worried," Sherlock replied, "Fear isn't something to be ashamed of, only fools fear nothing. When you're older you will learn to control your fear as I have."

"That seems cool." He yawned letting his eyes drift closed, "I hope I can…"

"You will." Sherlock insisted, "Now go to sleep."

It took several minutes before Cedric's eyes stayed closed permanently and his breathing evened out. Sherlock had fully intended on getting up and going to the living room to experiment, perhaps play his violin and wake John for some company. However the sleep had not quite left his eyes yet and they soon slid closed.

_Five minutes. _He told himself, _Just five, you're not that tired…_

…

When John woke in the morning he was surprised to find Cedric sitting in his fathers arm chair, tossing the skull up and down.

"Cedric if you break that your father will be apocalyptically cross with you." He scolded catching the skull from thin air.

"What's apocolo, apocolipta… what's that word mean?" Cedric finally asked

"I just mean your dad will be very very angry," John sighed, "Why are you here so early?"

"Dad lemme stay," Cedric smiled, "He's asleep on the floor!"

Upon closer inspection John discovered Cedric was correct. Sherlock was completely dead to the world slumped against his bed. Cedric had dragged the blanket over his shoulders; it was quite a feat that he didn't wake the detective. He must have really been tired. Deciding it was best just to leave him there John quietly closed the door.

"Why were you here last night?" John asked the little boy who was now located on the kitchen table fiddling with tool that couldn't possibly be child safe.

"I…had a nightmare." Cedric said quietly, "I was scared."

"And Sherlock comforted you?" John asked quizzically, comfort was difficult for the detective, he thought about things too much.

"He let me stay, I felt safer with Dad." Cedric shrugged and went back to his fiddling.

Well, Sherlock must have been doing something right with those kids. He chuckled to himself when he thought about it, those kids had no chance of being normal.

And to John, that was a great thing.

**Note: Hey this is Georgia, Ulura's sister. Just leaving a note to say that my sister is very ill at the moment with fever and migraines so she can't write. I typed up this chapter while she told it to me from bed. Because of this, updates will probably be slow until she gets better or is at least well enough to use the computer herself. I'll continue to type up her words as often as I can but it all depends on how she feels and if I have the time. **


	9. Chapter 9: Streets of Gold

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

* * *

Riley looked out the window of 222 thoughtfully; so much had changed over the past few years. It seemed like only yesterday they were living in the Irregular Hotel, searching the streets for things to sell or even steal for extra cash. Now they were provided for, home schooled and they had a family. A patchwork family, but family none the less. He smiled as he remembered explaining to Clara how to survive on the streets, of course they hadn't become soft now. They still knew all the tricks of London, still used them too.

* * *

Now listen up

You've got a lot to learn

And if you don't learn you don't eat

But if you're tough

And always use your head

You'll feel right at home on the street

When you've got talent ev'rything is free

Watch how we do things, oooh, I guarantee

* * *

_"Listen up Clara, you have to learn how to survive out here," Riley grinned, "We're gonna teach ya!"_

_"You have to be smart, tricky, elusive," Natty added jumping from the ground to a trash can before flying through the air and pulling down the ladder to a fire escape, "Always think on your feet."_

_"If you pause, it can meant the difference between a full stomach or an empty one," Carlo nodded, "You gotta use your head."_

_"How?" Clara cocked her head to the side._

_"How about a little demonstration?" Halie suggested, "Watch."_

_They all climbed up the fire escape, Clara struggled to keep up with them. She gasped as they flew through the air one by one landing on the piping attached to the side of the opposite building and climbing up it like lizards. Riley laughed as her eyes lit up and followed them. At first she was slow but soon she was zooming across rooftops just as quickly as they were._

* * *

You're gonna see how the best survive

We make an art out of staying alive

If you do just as you're told

These are streets of gold

Ev'ry Boulevard is a miracle mile

You'll take the town and you'll take it with style

If you play it brave and bold

These are streets of gold

* * *

_Sherlock demonstrated the move a second time, Mira dodged expertly. The Irregulars looked on with wide eyes and the two adults descended into a flurry of offence and defense moves. _

_"Remember," Sherlock said calmly dodging a punch from Mira, "You have to size up your opponent, find their weakness, use it against them. While at the same time, figuring out how your own talents can help you do it."_

_As soon as the words left his mouth he grabbed Mira's wrist and flicked her onto her back._

_"I'm faster, I found the weak point and utilized it," He nodded, "Simple."_

_"But don't go looking for a fight!" Mira warned, "Sometimes the best option is to run, to defend, you can't always win. If you are at a disadvantage and can't turn it around, you flee. Understood?"_

_"Understood!" They all nodded, pairing off to practice the moves that had just been shown them. _

_Marie grinned as she easily flipped backwards, springing off her hands and flying through the air landing perfectly on her toes. A perfect dodge, nobody could land a hit while her body was spinning that way. _

_Riley jumped toward her, using the furniture as his advantage. It was one of the first lessons Sherlock had ever taught him._

_Make your environment work for you._

_So he did, with a few smooth moves he'd leapt forward and taken down Marie. _

_"Remember, stay light on your feet, the less sound you make the easier it is to sneak up on your opponent!" Sherlock added._

* * *

To live from week to week

You need technique

So you practice ev'ry day

The only rule is:  
Thou shalt not get caught

Get what you can and then get away

Remember all the places you can hide

Remember we are always on your side

* * *

_Riley and Natty danced up the street, to the outside observer they were happily enthralled in whatever imaginary game they were playing. Then again, people were stupid. They didn't see the snipers poised to kill anybody who made a move towards the house in the middle of the street. _

_Their father and John needed to get inside to do some investigating; however approaching the house without arousing suspicion would be hard. Sherlock was not one to trifle with John's life, that's where the Irregulars came in. Nobody would suspect two innocent children, apparently playing on the street._

_All they had to do was find a way for Sherlock to get under the stone arch by the door, they he would be out of the sniper scopes. Once he got there, he could easily take out the two guards at the door with John's help._

_They jumped up the stairs, pretending to shoot one another with invisible guns._

_"Wanna play with us?" They asked the guards, they shook their heads._

_"Aw come on, why are ya even standing there?" Riley asked, "Must be boring."_

_"Run along." One of the guards waved them off._

_"You're boring." Natty sighed turning on one foot and 'slipping' on the stone step and falling down with a wail. _

_"Great now the kids hurt herself." One of the guards sighed._

_"Daddy!" Natty wailed, "Uncle John!" _

_That was the cue._

_Very convincingly Sherlock and John dashed out from their hiding place._

_"Misa!" Sherlock cried, changing her name just to be safe, "Misa what happened?"_

_"It was their fault!" Riley said pointing at the men._

_"How dare you!" Sherlock yelled, acting the picture of the worried father. He gave them a nod; he and John were both safely in the arch now. Time for them to disappear, time to make a get away. _

**Note: This was a collaborative effort, Ulura told the story to my brother and me so we both wrote a bit of this. She got the idea when he started singing the song to her. She should be back to writing them herself soon, she should be able to get out of bed soon. **

**She says thanks for the reviews and get wells!**

**Also the song is Streets of Gold from Oliver and Company**


	10. Chapter 10: Fangs

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

* * *

"Oh Sherlock!" Lestrade yelled stopping the detective before he left the yard after yet another crime solving spree.

"Here, this is for you and John as well," The detective handed him an envelope, "Even though you're consultants most of the yard decided you at least deserved an invitation."

"Invitation?" John questioned.

"Most of the yard?" Sherlock's eyes brows shot into his hair line as he said it.

"Yeah, you are practically a detective anyway." Lestrade grinned, "Anyways, hope to see you there! Bring Mira and the kids too, the other officers are bringing their families."

Slowly Sherlock opened the envelope and dumped the invite onto his palm. While John broke into a grin Sherlock scowled.

"We're not going." He said seriously.

"Oh yes we are!" John grinned, "Come on it will be fun! You know the Irregulars would love it."

"I've never even been to one of those before," Sherlock argued, "It's a waste of time and energy."

"Oh come on," John urged, "Part of you wants to, I know it."

"No way." Sherlock said with an air of finality, "You will never make me do this!"

...

"I can't believe you're making me do this!" Sherlock exclaimed, "A costume party is completely illogical!"

"Calm down and pick a costume," John sighed as he looked through the racks at the shop, "It's not that bad, Lestrade said he's going as James Bond."

"I will not spend an evening wasting time with such a frivolous affair!" Sherlock rolled his eyes, "I can't believe you even managed to drag me down here."

"Sherlock stop being a baby," Mira rolled her eyes, "The kids seem pretty excited."

She pointed in several directions, the Irregulars were bouncing off the walls with excitement, in some cases literally. Nina flew over the rack and landed on Sherlock's shoulders, how the man didn't fall down was a mystery.

"Dad, come look, we've found the PERFECT thing for you!" She squealed.

"I told you all I am not going." He sighed

"Please!" Nina begged jumping off his shoulder and looking up at him, batting her big brown eyes. Her hands clasped together at her chin, John knew he couldn't hold out against that look for half as long, the puppy dog eyes always made him melt.

"Fine, I'll look but I'm still not going." Sherlock muttered, that was good enough for Nina.

"Yay! Come on it's over here!" She tugged at his hand.

"He's totally going to the party isn't he?" Mira grinned.

"Have you ever seen anybody deny Nina after she pulled that look?" John replied. It was answer enough.

...

Myers had to say the party was a lot of fun, the people really went all out on their costumes. Lestrade was dressed as a pretty convincing James Bond, Sally was a Amazon and Anderson was a zombie. Myers had gone simple and dressed as a hippie, it was easy but still convincing. At the moment he was just leaning against a side wall, hoping he didn't look ridiculous. Which in hind sight, was probably not helped by the fact he was wearing a floral shirt.

"Hello again."

The voice had been so surprising he almost dropped his drink, an action he repeated when he turned and saw Mira dressed in a skimpy vampire costume, complete with fangs.

"Hi," He said nervously, "Where did you get that?"

"Oh some of its from a shop but most of it was a gift from a dominatrix friend of Sherlock's" She said casually, Myers decided to put the drink down.

"D-dominatrix?" He spluttered, he remembered Anderson speaking of a 'drugs bust' at 221b in which it was implied even John got in on the Holmes's 'private time'. Now he finds out they know a dominatrix!

"Oh yes, she's lovely." Mira smiled, "How's the party so far? Have you seen John? We arrived together but got a little separated."

"Sherlock's not coming?" Myers questioned, why did that make him just a little bit happy?

"Oh no he is-oh there they are now!" She smiled

Myers turned and almost jumped out of his skin, the scene at the door was haunting. Sherlock was wearing a dark suit, complete with a cape that covered most of his body and fangs. A vampire. The most daunting thing about it though was his eyes, they were blood red. As were all the eyes of the similarly clad children surrounding him.

"Ah the Holmes Coven has arrived!" Joked John who appeared beside them, dressed as a werewolf.

"That, is frightening, he certainly has a presence." Myers admitted, all the children were completely free of emotion, just like their father, though they looked like they were trying not to smile.

"Once they got him into the costume he couldn't refuse them." Mira laughed, trying to hide it as Sherlock walked over to them while the children went to mingle with the other youngsters.

"I feel foolish and these fangs are stupid." He muttered, but he didn't remove it. He probably liked the attention. Myers was about to complimenting him on his costume when he felt a sharp pain in his palm. Yelping he was met with two glowing red eyes.

"Jesus!" He yelled dragging his hand away, it was one of Holmes's kids.

"Cedric, I told you at the store," Sherlock sighed, "Just because your dressed like a vampire doesn't mean you can suck blood!"

"That's the third person he's bitten today..."

**Guess who's well enough to use her laptop again! :) I'm still stuck in bed but I'm allowed my computer back so I can write ^^**


	11. Chapter 11: Spots

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

* * *

"Save me!" Joe yelled, running through the front door of 221b and slamming it behind him, panting.

"Joe, what's wrong?" John got up from his place by the TV.

"It's the plague! They've all got it!" Joe panted, "Next door."

John and Sherlock glanced at one another. Obviously he was exaggerating but it couldn't hurt to take a look, Joe flat out refused to leave the 'safety' of 221b. Sherlock and John theorised on what 'the plague' was as they entered the set of apartments that was the Irregulars home and were greeted with a very strange sight. Several of the children were wrapped in blankets looking miserable in the living room. Their faces were flushed and their eyes were dull but that was nothing compared to their skin.

They were all covered in spots.

"Chicken pox," John sighed, "Highly contagious, I'll bet one of the younger ones caught it a few days ago and it's spread like wild fire!"

"We're itchy!" Cedric complained.

"And spotty." Ricky added scratching his ear.

"We'd best keep Joe away from them if he hasn't had it." Sherlock added as he picked up Natty who was by far the sickest of the bunch, "Come on, back to bed with you all."

"What about you Uncle John?" Riley asked, "Won't you get chicken spots too?"

"Chicken pox," John laughed, "And no, once you've had it, you can't get it again so I'm immune."

"Lucky." Dan sniffled as he dragged himself upstairs to the elder boys rooms.

They entire day seemed to both drag on and go in the blink of an eye. John quickly made rounds of all the kids to see how far along in the sickness they were. Natty, he deduced, was the first to get it and subsequently spread it to all the others. It would be another three days until they were no longer contagious and a full week for the spots to go away.

Both Sherlock and John spend time with them all trying to get them to sleep and eat. When they were awake they were bored and irritable. Sherlock took over trying to entertain them by teaching them about dusting for fingerprints and various other things but soon he ran out of lessons he could teach from their bedside. It was a long day.

…

John didn't even remember falling asleep he was so exhausted, when he woke he was still dressed. He looked up to see what it was that had woken him from a blissful sleep and he was met with Joe's face.

"Um, Uncle John I think we might have a problem." He muttered

"What is it?" John asked blearily rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he needed to get up to check the Irregulars anyway.

"You'll see." John replied ominously.

John was lead to Sherlock's' room by Joe who waved him in. Sherlock was wrapped in his blanket looked horrid, still John couldn't help but smile a little at his face. The detective looked rather annoyed and put out.

"Not a word." He seethed

"So, I take it you never had chicken pox as a child." John sighed taking in Sherlock's face, which was now covered in the same spots as the Irregulars.

"Clever deduction John," He growled, "Tell anybody at the yard about this and I'll…do something."

Sherlock Holmes lost for words! It was a miracle.

"Hey, stop that!" John scolded stopping Sherlock's hand before it could reach his arm.

"But it itches!" The man whined, "I can't take a week of this John."

"Actually for you it might be a little longer till the spots fade." John admitted quietly

"What!" Sherlock looked horrified, John rolled his eyes and hauled the man to his feet. They had to keep 221b clean, which meant the now infected Sherlock had to go to 222. John explained as they went.

"Chicken pox is more dangerous and serious in adults, "He sighed, "You will be much sicker than the Irregulars and for much longer too. Why didn't you go home yesterday?"

"I wasn't just going to leave them." Sherlock argued as they entered.

The next week was hell for Sherlock. Not only was he confined to the house but often to the couch and no experiments. He couldn't work and he was either annoyed and itchy or miserable and feverish. The Irregulars found his frustration both hilarious and worrying, so in order to keep him entertained they created 'crimes' for him to solve with their imagination. Carlo even managed to beat him at Cludo, there much sulking after that.

**A tad predictable but I felt like fluff ^^**


	12. Chapter 12: Games

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

* * *

Today had been peaceful, no murders, Sherlock hadn't blown anything up, no injuries, no crime. John was worried. Sherlock seemed to share his worry, not that they had voiced it but the was an air of unease in 221b. Finally John couldn't take it anymore.

"Sherlock, 222 has been silent," He said finally, "All day."

"I know, I'm beginning to get concerned." He muttered, "They are never quiet."

"Should we check on them?" JOhn said, it wasn't really a question. By the time he'd finished saying it they were both heading for the door. They really needed to connect the two buildings some how.

When they entered they could hear hushed voices coming from the lounge in 222a, it was the biggest and so, most of the time it was used as a communal place for everybody. Occasionally a thump could be heard, like something hitting the floor. They pushed open the door to see several of the children surrounding Lisa and Emily who were sitting on the floor with two glass containers between them.

The rest of them were pawing through the book shelves that lined the side of the room, scribbling things down, cursing then throwing the book on the floor. Well that explained the thumping.

"What are you doing?" Sherlock asked Lisa with interest.

"Playing 'A Study in Pink'." She replied.

"What?" John laughed.

"It's simple," Halie explained, "Each of these containers is exactly the same except for the contents."

"See these two black jelly beans?" Emily continued for her holding them up, "One is licorice, but one is pepper. I know which is which but Lisa doesn't, so she picks which one she thinks is licorice then I take the other and we both eat at the same time."

"Like the case all those years ago," John finished, "Only without poison."

"Ingenious, an excellent way of mixing entertainment and tuning your skills of observation." Sherlock noted, he seemed proud. Then again, most other kids just stuck play dough up their noses.

"And you guys?" John asked the group by the book case made up of, Joe, Dan, Riley, Marie and Natty.

"We're playing 'Blind Banker'." Natty grinned, "One of us picks a book and uses the cipher used in the real case to make a message out of numbers."

She pointed to a piece of paper blue tacked to the wall with a series of numbers scrawled across it in black pen.

"Then we have to find the right book and decipher the message." Joe smiled, "Dan did a good job this time, its been fifteen minutes and we still haven't even found the book!"

"Another good idea," Sherlock nodded his approval, "Making games based on my cases is exceptional!"

"I hope you guys don't play 'The Great Game'." John added, they all laughed.

"Let's see who wins then." Sherlock said taking a seat to watch Lisa and Emily play their game.

Emily placed one of the contains in front of Lisa and one in front of herself and sat back to watch. Lisa stared at them both intently before taking the bottle in front of herself. Without breaking their poker faces they undid the lids and bit down, Emily made a face.

"How did you know? You were going for the other one before." She coughed, "Ugh I hate pepper!"

"I saw that you switched them when you were explaining the game to them," Lisa said proudly, "The only reason you would of done so is because I'd picked right and you didn't think I'd notice if they were placed in a different spot."

"Dammit." The blonde girl cursed, making a face as she swallowed the pepper flavored jelly bean.

"I got it!" Joe hollered from behind them, "You used the dictionary! So obvious none of us even went for it! The message is "Sometimes the most obvious answer is the right one"!"

"Sounds like Joe just won 'Blind Banker' then." John laughed, "Don't you guys ever play checkers or snakes and ladders like normal kids?"

They all made a face.

"We played Cludo." Mason spoke up after a little while, "But it was stupid, the only logical answer was that-"

"The victim did it?" Sherlock finished for him, "I know, I've tried to explain it tho John but he simply won't listen..."

"You just hated it because I kicked your ass at it." John grumbled, "On day, I will share with you all the story of "The Great UNO fiasco"."

"That game was stupid!" Sherlock grumbled

"It's colour matching game!"

"The rules are stupid."

Well that went on for quite some time. Long enough for one of the children to actually go to 221b, collect the UNO cards and start dealing them out in fact. And so began the second Great UNO fiasco. Unlike Sherlock, the children got a pretty good reign on the rules and soon the poor detective was holding most of the deck, everybody except Cedric having already depleted their cards. The final straw came when Cedric laid down his final card, leaving Sherlock with he entire deck in his hands. He threw them in the air in frustration making everybody laugh.

"It's ok Dad, Cedric is a three year old after all and your only a fully grown genius and the worlds only consulting detective." Natty said smugly.

Sherlock threw the cards at her.

"I swear I'm the only adult in this family..." John sighed.

**I got the idea for this chapter because I've been stuck in bed for so long my twin brother came to play with me in the sick bay. Naturally he bought UNO and the idea sprung from there. I'm really bored even with my laptop, so writing and reading is all I do. Hope you enjoy! Can't wait to be out of here!**


	13. Chapter 13: Conclusions of Nina

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

* * *

"Mummy's going to die."

They were not typical words for a six year old, Nina had said them with such a carefully, heavy voice that she sounded years older. She'd been sitting on the floor of 221b, John was in his chair keeping an eye on her while she played with some playing cards. She had entered the flat so silently it had taken him a while to notice her, she hadn't said anything up until now, John had just assumed she'd had a fight with one of the others and come over here to wait until things cooled off.

"What do you mean?" John said slowly, it wasn't natural for a kid to be saying such things. Even a Holmes.

"I mean Mummy is going to die and we'll have to burry her like we did Daddy. Only she wont come back." She said with a dead voice.

"Why are you saying that?" John continued, Mira seemed fine to him.

"I deduced it." She shrugged sadly, "Daddy knows."

"Nina, Mira's fine she's not going to-"

"Cancer." She interrupted, "I could tell you my findings if you want."

"Alright..."

"One, She's been paler and tired lately." She began, "Two, I saw a large amount of her hair in her bathroom bin that had fallen out. Three, I saw her taking pills from an orange medi container. Four, she's been throwing up. Five, She visits the hospital twice a week for exactly three hours and finally, she's bought several wigs lately, probably for when her hair falls out..."

By the end of the little speech the girl is trying not to cry, John had to admit Mira looked a little under the weather but not dying. Surely this was a mistake though he had to admit, it did sound logical. He had no doubt Nina had been thorough in her research, Sherlock taught her.

"Even if that is true," He said finally, "It doesn't mean she's going to die."

"If it were not terminal she would of told us." Nina concluded, "Dad must of figured it out."

"How do you know Sherlock knows?"

"He's spending more time with her than usual." Nina sniffled, "Really, haven't you noticed? He even goes with her to the h-hospital sometimes..."

Now that he thought about it, Sherlock was with Mira an awful lot lately, Nina had silent tears running down her face now, John had been about to comfort her when the door opened revealing Sherlock and Mira.

"Oh, Nina what's wrong?" Mira cooed kneeling down in front of her, that just made Nina burst into tears. Sherlock looked thoroughly confused, the poor man had little to no idea what was going on for the first time in a long while.

Nina blubbered out the old story, for some reason this made Sherlock roll his eyes.

"I'll leave this one to you," He said simply, walking to the kitchen to torture some fingers.

"Nina love, I'm not dying." Mira smiled, "I have a cold that's why I'm so tired and pale, those pills were just paracetamol to help with the nausea and vomiting. That hair was just some extensions I got done, but they were badly placed so I took them all out. I got that wig as a disguise, your father and I have been going under cover at the hospital to try and catch some smugglers who are stealing medicine to make drugs."

"Never jump to conclusions Nina." Sherlock called from the kitchen

"See I told you." John patted her on the head

"Désolé Nina," Mira hugged her as she wiped her eyes, Sherlock rejoined them in the room.

"Since it appears you are idle I think it's time I gave you a few more lessons in deducing. You're obviously getting rusty," Sherlock cut in, "I wont have you lazing about, come on Nina."

To an outsider it would sound cold and unfeeling but Sherlock knew that a lesson is just what she needed.

**To show they are still learning :)**


	14. Chapter 14: Irrational Humans

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

* * *

Translations for Gladstone Language

Master - Sherlock

Mistress - Mira

Blonde Master - John

Master's pup's - The Irregulars

Gladstone pricked his ears up as the door opened, it was early morning and most of Master's pup's were still asleep. Over the years he had learnt that they all had strange names that made no sense, he had once called them by their hair colour but now there was too many, Master had too many pups. It had taken him years to leant heir names. He was always under orders to watch the pup's when Master wasn't around, especially if it was early or late when there could be danger outside. He padded out to the front door to see two of the pup's speaking in their strange human language that Gladstone had little understanding of, he could sense excitement in the air though.

It was the tall pup and straight haired blonde that stood at the door, Master refereed to them as Joe and Emily for some reason. Gladstone thought his descriptive names were much better but what Master said goes. He barked at the two.

'You shouldn't be leaving now!'

"Shuush Gladstone!" Joe hissed, he had no idea what that first sound meant but Joe made the sign that he should be silent.

'Where are you going?' he cocked his head to the side, of course the pup's didn't understand him. No two leggers seemed to understand basic language, they all communicated loudly with sounds that made no logical sense. It was infuriatingly difficult to communicate with them.

The two pups slipped out the door, Gladstone followed as he was taught. They had no problem with him padding along beside them, they made their way to Master's house and snuck inside, usually Gladstone would man the door in this situation but he was curious and bounded up the stairs after the pups. They were talking Master's blonde friend. At first Gladstone had disliked and snapped at him but soon he found him very useful, he could heal wounds in ways Gladstone had never conceived, so he allowed him to stay.

the words were too fast for him to understand, he only knew his orders in their language and even those had taken time but he heard words such as 'cake' which was a food and 'surprise' which meant to shock somebody. Though he couldn't come up with any way you can shock somebody with cake.

Later more Irregulars and Master arrived, with the aforementioned cake, he could sense the excitement. He heard the word 'Mira' tossed about by Master and Blonde Master, that was the silly name they used for Mistress, perhaps they wished to surprise her? Now he was torn, he was fond of Mistress, should he try and warn her about the attack? He heard the door before anybody else, they all had such dull ears, he moved to warn her but Master ordered him back.

"Gladstone stay!"

Ah well, Master's orders always came first.

When she reached the room there was a good deal of yelling and screaming which hurt his ears but rather than looking annoyed Mistress looked delighted. What confusing things these creatures were! Of course Master didn't yell or jump up and down like the others did, it was part of why Gladstone liked him so much, he made sense. Most of the day they spent eating and talking, Master played funny notes on his wooden contraption that the others seemed to enjoy but just made Gladstone's ears ache. The youngest pup even shared his cake with him, which he found most enjoyable.

Master pressed his lips to Mistress's forehead as well. It had taken him several years to understand that gesture, eventually he realized it was like him touching noses with a female. Mashing lips together made no sense though she he had no idea where the gesture came from. However Mistress and Master were not mates so it made even less sense! Then Blonde Master did the same thing, Gladstone gave up and settled down in the corner.

He'd never understand this lot.

**Hey guys do you remember the photo book Sherlock had in chapter 38 of The Irregulars? Well Retsin on Deviant art has made it! It looked awesome check it out!**


	15. Chapter 15: Smirk

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

* * *

It was a fairly normal day at 221b.

Sherlock was teaching Emily and Dan how to corrode various metals with substances found around the household. But to be fair, Sherlock's idea of a 'household' item varied a bit from the norm. When Joe walked in to borrow one of Sherlock science books for 'light reading'.

Sherlock's eyes flicked over Joe and smirked, the boy went about as red as humanly possible.

"I think I've missed something." John pipped up looking at the small exchange between Joe and his father.

"How'd you know?" Joe asked, ignoring John.

"Several things really." Sherlock shrugged, "The book is seventh from the left, third top shelf."

Still imitating a beet, Joe grabbed the book and left, John could practically feel the heat radiating from his cheeks. Sighing, he sat down to update his blog a bit, waiting for the lesson to be over. Once the girls had left he stopped typing and faced Sherlock.

"So, what was that?" He asked.

"Joe seems to have found himself a girlfriend," Sherlock replied, "Didn't you see?"

"Uh, no." John rolled his eyes; honestly the man's ego was bigger than Russia.

"Or a very feminine boyfriend, but most likely girlfriend," Sherlock continued, John laughed.

"Alright, I know you're dying to explain so go on!" He sighed.

"His hair had been pressed down by his palms not by a brush, obviously he neatened it at some point before entering the room. His collar was slightly off centre and the bottom corner of his shirt was untucked. The skin on the side of his lips was slightly pinker, somebody wearing lipstick had been kissing him and he whipped it off. And finally, I really don't think Joe is one to wear perfume."

"You could smell the perfume from over there? He walked right passed me and I didn't smell it!" John exclaimed

"You probably mistook the smell for his deodorant, you don't pay attention." Sherlock shrugged and went to his latest experiment, something to do with fingers.

After a few moments of silence the detective turned back to John.

"You're going to tease him about this aren't you?"

"Relentlessly." John grinned

"I wouldn't bother, the other children are bound to figure it out soon, leave it to them."

As if on que a very loud burst of laughter was heard from next door, along with a cry of:

"NATTY YOU LITTLE SNITCH!"

Several yells and bumps later there was silence, John raised his eyebrow at Sherlock he copied the action.

"Don't look at me, I think you are more suitable to talk to him about this don't you?"

**Several people asked for it**


	16. Chapter 16: Just Like You

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

* * *

Myers was surprised when he was invited to Baker street, Lestrade had told him to come along for drinks. He'd barely even spoken to Sherlock or John but Lestrade had assured him the detective wouldn't mind, more likely couldn't care less, it was only Anderson and Donovan he outright disagreed with. He'd blushed when the inspector had elbowed him, reminding him that Mira was going to be there.

Lestrade had been right, Sherlock barely spared him a glance before going back to fiddling with some chemicals and saying something to one of his sons. He'd been about to strike up a conversation with Mira when the door slammed open and Mason, Ricky and Halie stumbled in, Ricky held a baseball bat and they were all coated in red. The whole room was in stunned silence for a short moment.

"Well, that was tedious..." Mason sighed eventually

"Bloody hell!" Myers yelled

"Relax," Sherlock interrupted, "Their covered in what appears to be, raspberry juice."

"It's Halie's fault." Ricky grumbled

"You're the one that swung the damned bat." She hissed, Mira rolled her eyes.

"Go on then," John grinned, "Why are you covered in raspberry juice?"

"Well, we followed those counterfeiters Lestrade's been trying to catch." RIcky shrugged

"You stole the case file?" The inspector exclaimed, the kids looked smug.

"We found out they were based at a berry farm because the ink had traces of fruit in it, strawberries to be exact." Mason pipped up, "We were chasing them with the bat and Halie said they were there but it was a barrel..."

"Did you catch the counterfeiters?" Sherlock asked, they shook their heads.

"Well, it could of been worse," He shrugged, "I've told you not to go running off and taking cases without consulting me."

They mumbled something that could of been an apology as Mira rose from her place on the floor. For some reason Mira almost always sat on the floor.

"Come on, all of you need a shower quite badly, off you go." SHe urged them gently pushing them out the door, sighing as she spotted the red puddles where they had been standing.

"Gotta say You guys have some bright kids," Myers said finally, "I can't think of any other children who would figure all that out."

"They have the best education they could hope for," John smirked, "And also the worst."

"What do you mean?" He questioned, Lestrade snickered.

"Next time you see one of them, ask them to name all the bones in the human body in alphabetical order, they will do it no problem," The inspector laughed, "Then ask them who the prime minster is."

"I don't teach trivia." Sherlock grumbled.

"You do realize why they went after the counterfeiters on their own don't you?" Myers piped up, he was sure the others noticed but Sherlock had a way of missing the obvious. Sherlock glared but the policeman stood his ground.

"They wanted to impress you." He finished, "Prove they could do something their own for once."

All the others nodded in agreement, Sherlock scoffed looking slightly put out.

"They should know better, their stubborn, rash, they run off without thinking about a plan-"

"Remind you of anybody?" John laughed, Mira ruffled Sherlock's hair affectionately.

"They're just like you were when you were young," She laughed, "Actually, not much has changed..."

Sherlock grumbled.

**Just some short filler, I'm working on a longer one.**

**Check out my poll about this story, I really wanna get some results!**


	17. Chapter 17: School

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

* * *

Marie clambered up the large oak tree that grew on the street outside the school grounds. It was a normal public school, East London Primary, the children were out on the playground before the morning bell went. She'd never been to an actual school before, she wondered what it was like, of course she'd never give up her tutoring with Sherlock for anything.

"You'll get in trouble if they catch you climbing that tree!" Came a voice, a girl with dark hair her own age was looking up at her.

She smiled and climbed down into the school yard, she was wearing her usual black coat and blue scarf making her stand out terribly in the sea of green uniforms. She could feel people's eyes on her but that didn't bother her.

"I'm Marie, what's your name?" She asked

"I'm Katie-" Katie replied, she looked as if she was going to say more but a shadow loomed over them before she got the chance.

"A new student I presume?" The tall woman with tight lips sneered, "Honestly the principal should warn me, you haven't even gotten a uniform yet. Make sure you have it tomorrow."

"Yes Miss." She said dutifully, if this woman thought she was new, she'd be new. After all the best way to learn about something is to submerge yourself in it, as her father always said.

"Very well, come with me," The woman sniffed, "The bell will be going any minute I best assign you to a class."

Humming happily to herself as she followed the woman into the large building just as the morning bell went,memorizing all the corridors and room names. Finally they arrived in a small, grey, boring office and the woman opened up a file on the computer.

"Name, parent's names, age and former school please." She ordered, "I will have to do the rest when your parents show up this afternoon."

"Marie Holmes, Sherlock and Mira, 8 and home schooled." Marie replied curtly, she wanted out of this office and into the school experience.

"Very well, I'mll put you in Mrs. Wylie's class, come on." She said briskly. Marie questioned why they needed to be in the office to do that, this woman, Miss Grey according to the sign, must of had a terrible memory.

She took Marie to a room with a blue door, with GRADE 3 written on it and practically shoved her in. The class was sitting at round tables all over the room listening to a large, curly haired woman talk. Marie decided she was done being hearded by Miss Grey and walked over and held out her hand to the woman.

"Mrs. Wylie I presume? I'm Marie Holmes," She smiled in her most polite manner, "I'm new."

Miss. Grey seemed shocked that a girl so young was so polite, Marie felt like snickering. Sherlock had taught her about acting the part, and the part she needed to play to get on Mrs. Wylie's good side was that of politeness and obedience.

"Nice to meet you Marie." Mrs. Wylie shook her hand, "Why don't you take a seat here with Katie?"

It was the girl from the yard, she smiled and took her place, glad that Miss. Grey had taken her leave.

"Now, today I want you to continue your planet research," Mrs. Wylie said, "Marie why don't you tell the class your favorite planet?"

The teacher was obviously trying to involve her and simultaneously introduce her to the class but of all the things to ask...

Marie felt her cheeks burn.

"I...I do not know any planets..." She said quietly, "Except Earth, so I guess, that's my favorite."

The class laughed, even Katie giggled.

"She must be really stupid." Whispered a blonde boy on the table next to her.

"I'm not stupid!" She defended, "I can recite the first 50 digits of pi from memory!"

"Pie is food!" Everybody laughed, Marie tried to explain that pi was in fact a mathematical value but everybody thought she was making it up. She felt a very strong urge to leave the room, after all, she wasn't really a student here. However she stuck fast, her father never gave up when faced with a challenge, neither would she.

So she suffered through a remedial lesson about planets, things she saw no point in learning. Then it was recess, of course she did not have any food, so she snatched some fruit slices from the blonde boy when he wasn't looking. That'll teach him.

Her eyes lit up when Mrs. Wylie announced they were spending the mid morning on maths. Finally something she would excel at. She snickered when the teacher started explaining the two times tables, honestly? These kids thought SHE was stupid!

She breezed through the 'difficult' maths test in a minute, that learnt her several surprised looks from her 'classmates'.

"My my, you must of covered this with your old teacher already." Mrs. Mylie praised, "Well done. Perhaps you could start your 3's early."

"I already know them." She said smugly, "I know all the times tables up to fifteen by heart."

"Fifteen?" Katie gasped, she nodded.

"Marie, bragging and lying is not a good habit." The teacher scolded.

"I'm not lying, I'll recite them for you if you want me too." Marie countered, Mrs. Wylie indicated she should go ahead, clearly thinking it was a bluff. With a superior smile Marie did just that, by the end of it the everybody's jaw had dropped.

"As for bragging," she added, "My father always says 'to underestimate ones self is as much a departure from the truth as to exaggerate ones abilities'"

She was satisfied to notice most of the other children had their faces screwed up just trying to follow what she had said, while the teacher was gaping at her. Well, in for a penny in for a pound!

"I am by no means the smartest in my family though. I have thirteen siblings myself and they are just as brilliant if not more so than I."

The fancy language was a nice touch she decided, not necessary, but it made her feel like her father.

"If you have thirteen siblings then where are they then?" The blonde boy pipped up, "You're totally lying!"

"It's a good point, surely you can't be the only child your parents enrolled," Mrs. Wylie smiled thinking she'd caught the girl out, "Where are your brilliant siblings?"

"At home." Came Sherlock's deep baritone, all eyes flew to the figure wearing a matching coat and scarf to Marie's.

"It took me a while to track you down Marie, you're late for your lessons." He continued.

"Excuse me?" The teacher gaped.

"I never enrolled her here, it seems Marie was conducting an experiment of some kind." Sherlock continued, "Marie?"

"Miss Grey mistook me for a new student so I decided to study the classroom experience, since I never went to a school before," She shrugged, "They tried to teach me about the solar system."

"Holmes...Sherlock Holmes is your father!" Wylie gaped

"Yes, obviously" Sherlock drawled, "Marie I think you have lowered your IQ enough for one day, don't you?"

"Yeah, what are we learning today?" She asked, ignoring the gaping classroom.

"How to tell various animal bloods from human." Sherlock replied, leaving the room, "Come along!"

Marie hurried after, waving goodbye to the group.

"Had an interesting time, enjoy your dull lives!"

**"To underestimate ones self is as much a departure from the truth as to exaggerate ones abilities" is a line from the 80's Adventures of Sherlock Holmes tv show by Holmes himself.**

**Also please vote on the Irregular poll on my page!**


	18. Chapter 18: Coat

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

* * *

"We are in so much trouble." Ricky moaned

"He will be so angry." Mikey agreed

"Apocalyptically angry." Riley added

"Least it wasn't the violin…" Ricky sighed

In their defence it was an accident, they were experimenting. They had decided to invent a stronger kind of acid that could be whipped up with household items in case of emergency, they didn't know what kind of emergency but it was always good to have a little heavy-duty acid lying around.

Unfortunately Mikey had sneezed, making Ricky turn suddenly which in turn made Riley take a step back and trip over, sending their acid through the air and onto their father's coat. Which was now blackened and sporting a few extra holes.

"Maybe he won't notice?" Mikey said hopefully, the others gave him a withering look.

"Even if we do fix it he'll notice!" Riley moaned, "We're so dead, completely dead!"

"Uncle John!" Riley jumped to his feet, "He'll save us!"

The others nodded and they quickly gathered what was left of Sherlock's coat and dashed out the door of 221b. They had at least an hour before Sherlock returned home from his under cover work with their mother at the hospital; they were going to have to move fast.

It took them ten minutes to reach the clinic where John worked, unfortunately fate was not on their side and the room was packed, it would take forever to reach John!

"Plan A or B?" Ricky whispered as he glanced around the room, the others turned to him.

"B" They nodded certainly.

Huddling behind the various people of the room they quickly whipped up some crocodile tears, doing their best to look completely distraught. It wasn't hard; all they had to think about was Sherlock's reaction when he found his beloved coat. After a few minutes they decided they looked sad enough they pushed their way to the front of the line, nobody stopped them, people had a weakness for crying children.

"Please," Ricky croaked, "We need to see our uncle."

"Your uncle?" The woman, nametag said SARAH, asked.

"Uncle John," Riley sobbed, "Our sister's in t-trouble."

"Alright I'll buzz you in." She said sweetly. Too easy.

They rushed into John's office and quickly dried their tears explaining themselves before John could be fooled by their act as well. He looked angry when he realised their reason for being there, he didn't even seem sympathetic when they showed him the dark material that used to be their fathers coat.

"You can't run away from this, no matter what you do, Sherlock is going to notice." He said finally, "I suggest you buy him a new one as an apology."

"But where would we even FIND something like this?" Mikey gaped, "Mum made ours."

"And we cannot sew, trust me." Ricky added.

"You're talented scavengers," John praised, "I'm sure you will find something."

"Thanks a lot Uncle John." Riley sighed sarcastically.

John just laughed and waved them off, clearly not impressed that his work time had been interrupted though he did pass Ricky a 50-pound note. Tough but fair as always.

They should of bought Nina so she could use those puppy dog eyes of hers…

…

When Sherlock returned home he was surprised to see the kitchen in a worse state of mess than usual, the Irregulars had been messing with his equipment. He felt his eyes widen when he saw his coat, which he'd left behind because it was too noticeable, laying over the armchair in pieces. Acid burns by the looks of things, splatter pattern suggested a spill. He was about to deduce more when the sound of snoring cut through the air, he turned to see Ricky, Riley and Mikey completely zonked out on the couch.

Next to them, perfectly folded was a new copy of his coat. By the looks of things it was even made the same year, a perfect replica in every way. They would have had to run all over town to find it. He sighed and decided to leave them where they were, he disposed of his old jacket and hung up his new one. Deep down he knew that if they were sleeping it meant he could not play his violin or do any loud experiments, in other words he was condemning himself to a very dull afternoon.

But he really didn't have the heart to wake them.

**I'm off on a school camp tomorrow until the end of the week so I figured I'd better give you guys a quick chapter while I could.**


	19. Chapter 19: Snow

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

* * *

Kitty Riley had not had an easy life since the reappearance of Sherlock Holmes, for the year he'd been 'dead' she'd been riding high. One of the most famous journalists in London, until her original, giant scoop was proved fake. Now she did stupid fluff pieces about rescued dogs and celebrity trash stories. If she had to write about another stupid star's baby being named something idiotic she felt like she'd have to rip her hair out.

She continued her bitter thoughts toward the detective as she walked through the light snow in Hyde Park, she had to find a story to meet deadlines soon...

THUMP!

Suddenly she was on the ground in the snow with something on top of her.

"Ow..." The something muttered, turns out it was a little boy.

"Can I get up please?" She grumbled, the boy got off her and looked as though he was about to apologize when another voice rang out.

"Mason!"

"I'm coming Emily!" The boy replied, "That's my sister, gotta run lady!"

Mason ran off towards a blonde girl waiting for him at the side of the path, the two ran off together giggling and throwing up snow as they approached a large group of children. They seemed to be dividing into teams for a snowball fight, giggling like man men.

"John, no!" A female voice cried, Kitty looked to see none other than John Watson, glaring at her with murder in his eyes. He was being tugged back by a woman with long dark hair.

"Come on, she deserves-"

"I know!" The woman growled, "Don't make a scene!"

John stopped his small struggle with the woman and finally just seemed content to glare at Kitty with all his might. She actually felt herself go red, yes she hated Holmes with her entire being but she did feel bad for the hurt she'd caused this man. Not enough to apologize of course, I mean, the man was best friends with Sherlock Holmes! Though since his return he seemed to be doing alright.

"You're doing well then." She said stiffly, "The freak giving you some space?"

"You're the freak." He spat

"John..." The woman used a warning voice as he stepped forward.

"Where is Holmes anyway?" She asked airily, "For once he's actually letting you have a life I see, got yourself a girlfriend and everything."

"He's over there," John replied harshly and with a small amount of pride, "Playing with his children."

Her mouth formed an o. Kitty turned her head towards the large group of kids who were no longer running and playing but standing around none other that Sherlock, listening intently while he explained the science of snowflakes.

"Even though they are made of clear ice they appear white due to diffuse reflection on the whole spectrum of light by crystal facets." Sherlock said reaching out a black glove and catching the small white flakes as they fell. He then turned to the tallest boy in the group, indicating he should continue.

"Uh, they are actually conglomerations of tiny ice crystals that form when they fall through supercool clouds in the sky." He said finally, Sherlock nodded his approval.

"Now, who can tell me what solution you would need in order to preserve one?" Sherlock asked, the children immediately began theorizing while Kitty looked on with awe.

"And she's not my girlfriend." John continued smugly, "She's Sherlock's wife."

"What?" Kitty spluttered

She never got an answer because a little girl with red hair came dashing over and grabbed John by the arm.

"Uncle John! Come help me, Mikey isn't playing fair!" She called dragging the doctor off into the sea of children who were now beginning in another snowball fight. One which Sherlock had apparently been dragged into.

Kitty just looked on with envy, she'd always been 'normal' Sherlock was everything but. He was cold, unfeeling and sometimes downright cruel. Why was it he was the one who had everything?


	20. Chapter 20: Guarding Father

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

* * *

The Homes family was worried. Mira and John were the worst of course but even the kids were beginning to notice Sherlock looked more than 'a tad run down'. The case had been a difficult one, children were being stolen from their beds and their bodies would show up days later. Sherlock had been working on it relentlessly for the last two weeks, he had barely slept in that time and seemed to be on a diet of tea and nicotine patches. John suspected that it had something to do with his worry for the Irregulars.

Finally, the case had been solved, unfortunately it hadn't ended well. John had managed to tackle the kidnapper to the ground, the criminal then proceeded to smash the doctors skull against the ground. Earning him a nice concussion and an over night stay at St. Barts.

Now the Irregulars sat in their living room, worrying. Sherlock would of gone to sleep but he was too busy worrying about John and feeling guilty for what happened, they could hear him screeching at his violin.

"He's gonna collapse." Dan muttered

"He's barely eaten at all, it's not healthy." Halie added

"You know the only person who can get him to eat and rest is John," Mikey sighed, "By the time he's outta the hospital Dad's gonna be seriously sick."

"He looks like he already is." Ricky said sadly, "What do you think we should do, Joe?"

Joe was sitting at the window staring out looking frustrated.

"Just cause I'm the oldest doesn't mean I always know what todo." He grumbled

"But Dad listened to you," Dan argued, "Maybe you could convince him."

"I'm not John." Joe countered, the others hummed.

"I'll go." Dan said finally standing up, silently Ricky joined him.

The others gave them a nod of approval as they headed next door, Gladstone whined when they passed as if he knew Sherlock was sick. Dan and Ricky quietly crept into 221b, shooting one another a worried look as a bad note hit their ears. Sherlock never made mistakes while playing, ever.

"Dad?" Dan called softly, Sherlock turned just a tad to quickly and ended up stumbling backwards slightly much to the boys dismay.

"You really need to eat something and get some rest Dad." Ricky urged, "The case is over."

"Not tired." He replied stubbornly

"Keep him busy," Ricky whispered to Dan before slipping up the stairs to John's room.

"Come on Dad," Dan tried again, "Just soup, Mrs. Hudson made you some yesterday didn't she?"

He quickly opened the fridge and located the container of vegetable soup, sitting next to he eyeballs and proceeded to heat it up int he microwave. Sherlock gave him a half hearted glare as the young boy stirred the soup ready to serve.

"You see, Ricky and I haven't eaten either and we're hungry," Dan smiled, "Come eat with us."

"I am busy." He replied sulkily flopping down n the couch in his 'thinking' pose.

Dan re entered the room, flashing Ricky a small bottle of sleeping syrup hidden in his palm, he bit his lip. Normally they would never try drugging their father but it was for his own good, now if they could just get some food in him.

"What harm could eating something do?" Ricky asked

"Digestion rots my brain." Sherlock countered, "You know that."

"Your rotting your brain right now." Dan countered discreetly taking the bottle from his brother and emptying it into he soup and serving it up. Time to pull out the big guns.

"We don't eat until you do." Ricky said finally, handing one of the bowls to Sherlock while he and Dan sat on the floor next to him, soup in their laps.

Sherlock glared at them but eventually relented and raised the liquid to his lips as did the boys. Obviously this awakened their fathers dormant stomach and he'd soon downed the entire bowl. Success. Naturally the drug began to take effect and soon the detectives eyes were drooping slightly. RIcky had the hindsight to grab the blanket fromJohn's room and drape it over his father, unfortunately he developed a sense of drowsiness making him move sluggishly. To their surprise Sherlock laughed weakly, looking at them with bleary eyes.

"Your really should of served the soup, then added the sleeping syrup." He chuckled taking in their tired faces.

Oh crap.

"Always think things through..." Ricky moaned realizing their mistake.

"Use my bedroom...I doubt...you'll make it back...to 222." Sherlock yawned before falling into a deep, dreamless sleep.

The next morning when John returned home he almost laughed at the scene in front of him. Sherlock was fast asleep on the couch with Dan and Ricky slouched on the floor, leaning against the structure using their fathers arm as a pillow. Gently he woke the boys who looked at him sleepily.

"Why didn't you use Sherlock's bed?" He asked quietly after they explained what happened.

"Guess the drug took over before we could..." Dan muttered.

"Come on,lets get you home and in your own beds." John offered.

Dan and Ricky had lied about falling asleep. The drug hadn't taken effect for another few minutes at least, ample time to get to a bed. They were going to get up and do as Sherlock had suggested but then something outside knocked over one of Mrs. Hudson's bins. Now, logically they knew it was most likely a cat or a homeless person searching for a snack but it still made the boys jump. Even though Moriarty was gone, Sebastian was still out there, in jail of course but one day he might escape. Come after their father.

Again, logically they knew they couldn't take on anybody but they felt better staying up and guarding him, even if it was only for a little while.

**Fun fact: I'm pretty sure Kitty Riley is based on the Sherlock Holmes character Kitty Winter, who was a red headed art model. Funny thing is, Miss Winter was actually well liked by Holmes and Watson, she was a client of theirs. Weird huh? **


	21. Chapter 21: Mystery Child

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

* * *

They had been without a case for a while now, Sherlock had spent the time experimenting and teaching the Irregulars but he was beginning to show signs of wanting to take a gun to the wall. Again. John couldn't help but sigh at the glee that passed over the detectives face when his phone showed Lestrade's caller ID.

"Lestrade!" Sherlock answered happily before switching to serious, "You never call. Why are you calling? You usually text."

"Calm your farm Sherlock and let me speak." Lestrade replied

"I don't have a-"

"Its an expression." John said chuckling.

"Listen, we've got a bit of a situation at the yard I think you might be able to help with." Lestrade continued

"A case?" Sherlock questioned

"No, I'll explain when you get here, oh and bring a few of the kids." Lestrade added before hanging up.

John raised his eyebrow, Sherlock just shrugged and headed over to 222. Ten minutes later the detective and John were on their way to scotland yard with Lisa and Riley. When they arrived Lestrade met them at the door and lead them through the halls to a small break room. Inside was a female officer trying to coax a small bundle which must of been a child, to write with the pencils and paper on the table. John could only see the top of the kids head due to the fact it was all curled up in a ball with its arms around its knees. He couldn't even tell if it was a boy or girl, only that they had light brown curls.

"The kid just showed up here a few hours ago," Lestrade sighed, "We've done a check and he doesn't match any missing persons, or even non-missing persons. It's like he appeared out of thin air."

Sherlock entered the room with John the the kids just behind him, the boy looked up to meet their gaze, his eyes were dry. Funny, John though he'd been crying but his face was completely blank and calm. The doctor watched as Sherlock's eyes flew all over the boy, deducing.

"Immigrant." Sherlock said after a while, "His family smuggled themselves into the country, they were most likely poor people from, I'd say Romania or Poland. He's been in England 2 years so I'd say at his age he'd of picked up english already. Somethings obviously happened to the boys family, they are most likely dead."

The boy filched at the word dead.

"Make that defiantly dead." Sherlock added.

"Hello." Lisa smiled at him, "I'm Lisa, what's your name?"

The boy didn't answer.

"We gave him a medical, he can talk, he just wont." Lestrade sighed

"And you thought I'd be helpful?" Sherlock drawled, "Socio-"

"Bullshit you have a way with lost kids and you know it." Lestrade countered.

Sherlock looked uncomfortable, John could understand. Sherlock got all the Irregulars off the street, saved them in some fashion, this was meeting a potentially unstable child, something that required social skills.

"This is a job for a social worker not me." He argued

Lisa and Riley continued to chatter to him without any reply, they didn't seem bothered by the one way conversation at all really. Sherlock looked to John then to the kid, John knew Lestrade had him when he saw the detectives eyes soften in that special way reserved only for the Irregulars.

"Alright I'll try."

**Welcome to the first Baker Street Irregulars Interactive!**

**You, as the readers shall tell me what to do in the next chapter in two ways.**

1. **DO we have a new Irregular?**

2. **Pick a name for the boy **

**:) Go**

**Also thankyou to those who are voting on my poll**

**I have serious writers block!**


	22. Chapter 22: Mystery Child II

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

* * *

Sherlock sat down in the chair opposite the boy and looked at him. The boy stared straight at him, vision never wavering. Lestrade and the other officer left them to what ever it is they were doing and the room was drenched in silence. On the outside he was cool but inside Sherlock's brain was whirling around trying to come up with something to say or do. Finally the boy blinked breaking the connection between their eyes and reached down into his shirt bringing up a large locket, obviously it didn't belong to him, it was too big and the ornate patterning suggested a woman. He handed it to Sherlock.

The detective wondered why the boy trusted him at first, he obviously hadn't shown it to the police. He clicked it open.

"Well, that explains why he liked you," John sighed

"It does?" Sherlock asked, thoroughly confused.

"Of course it- look at the picture Sherlock." John rolled his eyes, apparently this was one of those things he was 'spectacularly ignorant' about.

The picture contained two faces, the boy sitting in front of him a year or so younger and a young man with black curls, probably in his late teen or early twenties. Judging by the facial structure they were related, father was the obvious guess but the bone structure was wrong, they bother had the influence of the same mother. Brother then.

"Sherlock this kid looks like you." John explained.

"I do not, the bone structure is completely wrong, the eyes are blue not grey and he is obviously much to young-"

"Sherlock it's the hair, black curls," John interrupted like he was speaking to a child, "This kid is what, seven years old? You have the same hair as his brother, somebody he trusts. So, at least subconsciously, he trusts you too."

"A foolish idea." Sherlock snorted, how stupid could a child be to trust somebody simply because of a resemblance to somebody else? He didn't trust every blonde he ever met just because John was one.

"Is this your brother?" Lisa asked, the boy looked at her and slowly nodded, she beamed.

"Where is he?" Sherlock asked, the boy didn't reply. Couldn't people just make sense for once?

"Can you tell us anything that could help us find your family?" John tried, the boys eyes flicked from John to Sherlock and back again. Finally he grabbed a piece of paper and started drawing. It was crude but manageable. The picture showed a flame with a green skull in the middle, disturbing imagery for such a young boy.

Sherlock's mind whirred until he found a match for the symbol, it belonged to a well known string of mafia bosses active in London. Common in every sense of the word, kidnappings, extortion, the usual thing. However they were not an easy group to catch.

"Does your brother have a tattoo on his arm with this?" Sherlock asked, the boy tilted his head to one side.

"Tattoo, like a picture on his skin." Riley tried patting his shoulder.

The boy shook his head and scribbled more on the paper.

_Papa._

"Your father?" Sherlock tried, he nodded and proceeded to scratch out the word.

"Your father died?" Lisa tried, again the boy nodded.

"You are able to speak, why don't you just explain this to us?" Sherlock said tensely, he was beginning to loose his patience.

The boy seemed to shrink back into the chair as the harsh voice.

"Sherlock, you're scaring him!" John scolded

"I told you this is not my job." Sherlock grumbled, "I'm not a consoler, nor am I a social worker."

Sherlock stood to leave but was stopped when something grabbed his leg, he was fully expected to see Lisa dragging him back but to everybody's surprise it was the boy. Rolling his eyes Sherlock continued to walk, allowing the boy to follow, holding onto his coat. They had almost reached Lestrade's office to discuss what they were going to do when he was forced to stop. The boy had attached himself to Sherlock's waist, apparently trying to hide himself.

The detective followed his eye line to see a rough looking man with the tattoo he had drawn. The man was describing the boy hidden from his view by the detectives coat, claiming it was his son who'd run away. One look at the man told Sherlock he was lying, the structure of the bones and his thick English accent told as much.

"John, hide the boy somewhere." Sherlock whispered, the doctor nodded quickly scooping up the kid and hurrying down the corridor.

...

John carried the boy into a stairwell, it was the first place he came across he felt sure the man wouldn't venture.

"Leo."

He had almost fell over when the boy spoke, he'd gotten used to the silent presence.

"Is that your name?" John asked hopefully, he shook his head and pointed to the locket, "Your brother?"

The boy nodded.

"Please, you have to talk!" John begged.

"Leo."

Apparently thats all he could say, he must have some kind of trauma. The doctor wished he'd had the hindsight to grab the pencil and paper.

"Come on, just your name." John urged, "You can do it. My names John."

The boy made a face but didn't say a word. John tried another tactic.

"The man out there, did he kill your dad?" John asked, The boy nodded, "Did he hurt Leo?"

Another nod.

They were getting somewhere.

...

Sherlock pulled up the collar on his coat, hoping this man was dim-witted. He cleared his throat loudly, as expected the man's eyes darted his way, widening ever so slightly.

"You! How did you get out!" He bellowed, Sherlock put on a look of bemusement as the man approached him, noticing his mistake as he took in Sherlock's features.

"Get out of where?" He asked innocently, taking in everything about the man he could. Brick dust on his shoes, yellow powder used for making paints, layer of dust on the shoulders...

"Sorry, thought you were somebody else." He muttered

"You're looking for a boy I hear." Sherlock continued, "I'm a detective here, perhaps I could help?"

He flashed one of Lestrade's IDs. The man raised his eyebrow.

"What's with the kids?" He questioned.

"We got lost." Riley blubbered.

"DI Lestrade was helping us find our mummy." Lisa smiled weakly as if she'd had a terrible fright.

"Small boy, brown curly hair. He ran away." The man grumbled obviously buying the story.

"His name?"

The man hesitated, aha!

"Max." He said after a few seconds, an obvious lie.

"I'll look into it." He lied and quickly walked away. He had deducing to do.

...

It took him a few minutes to find where John was hiding in the stairway.

"That man from the photograph is being held somewhere," He started, "Somewhere industrial with something to do with paint."

"Leo." The boy smiled.

"That's all he says." John explained, "He's got some kind of mental trauma as far as I can tell."

"His brother?"

John nodded.

...

It had taken Sherlock half an hour to deduce and then find the location of the paint factory, closed for a month for repairs and unguarded. The perfect temporary holding place for a gang prisoner. Lisa and Riley had stayed behind at the station to keep the boy company but John was by his side as usual.

Inside were two members of the gang, each standing guard around a man tied to a chair. Leo.

"Come out with your hands up!" Lestrade bellowed as his men stormed the warehouse. John ran to Leo, who was slumped over, being held up by the ropes.

"Hey, can you hear me?" John asked, Leo blinked at him, "What's your name?"

"Leo..." He croaked, John nodded happily.

Sherlock let John continued to examine him while he untied the ropes. Soon the three of them were in a police car heading for the station with the semi-lucid Leo. John assured him the man just needed some food and liquid in him and he'd be fine.

"M-My little brother." He coughed, "I need to find him, did they get him?"

"Little boy? Curly brown hair, doesn't talk?" John offered, Leo nodded quickly.

"Pavel, is he alright?" He asked worriedly

"He is fine." Sherlock assured, "My children are taking care of him at the station."

**Thank you to Holsicine for the name :) also credit should go to DizzyBunny for giving me the inspiration for this part of the story. Though this is a bit different to what they suggested it was the propt that gave me this idea. **

**I was gonna finish the story in this chapter but it was getting a tad long and this story is more a collection of short stories so I'll leave it here for now. **


	23. Chapter 23: Mystery Child III

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

* * *

"Why were those gang members after you?" John asked

"Our father, he joined so he could get the papers to smuggle us into the country." Leo said guiltily, "We were poor, we needed to get our of Poland before the winter or we'd freeze or starve to death. But a few weeks ago, he gave in a tip about their actions to police to get reward money. The head found out, they...came to our house, killed him. Pavel saw the whole thing he stopped talking after that."

"What about your mother?" John continued while Sherlock listened intently.

"She died years ago, Pavel barely knew her." Leo replied sadly, "It's just the two of us now."

"Why did the gang take you?" Sherlock asked now that the personals were over.

"They cancelled all the paper work and credit details," Leo sighed, "It was only sa matter of time before Homeland Security found us and shipped us back, so I went to beg them for papers."

Sherlock couldn't help but snort slightly at the idea of begging.

"I didn't do it for me." Leo almost growled, "For Pavel."

...

"Leo!" Pavel cried when the young man entered the room, the boy flung himself at his brother who scooped him up in a fierce hug.

"What will you do now?" John asked.

"I'll look after him as best I can..." Leo said uncertainly, "I'll find some way to get the papers for us legally."

John smiled as he watched Sherlock send a quick text, no doubt it was to Mycroft. The boys would no doubt have the papers they needed when they got home.

"Leo." Pavel grinned looking like all his christmases had come at once, saying the name over and over again to show how happy he was.

"That's all he says nowadays." Leo sighed.

"Listen," John whispered, "Sherlock's brother, he's practically the entire British government, he'll get you the papers."

Leo gaped.

"But, if you guys need anything come to 221b Baker Street." John nodded.

Leo gave a nod of thanks and looked over to Sherlock who was currently 'scolding' his children for stealing Donavon's ID's and purse. John laughed. A while later Mycoft arrived and delivered papers to Leo and Pavel, the elder was almost weeping with relief. Finally the two turned to leave, after profoundly thanking Sherlock of course. As they did Pavel turned back to look at them.

"John."


	24. Chapter 24: Circus Child

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

* * *

Lestrade was standing outside a large house in a very expensive neighborhood of London. Sherlock had almost wrapped up the case, all they needed to do was get inside, arrest the man and find the stolen sapphire, then home for some much needed sleep. Unfortunately, this man had one of the most frustrating security systems the inspector had ever come across, they simply couldn't get into the house and who knows how long it would take for the man to come out. He could have weeks worth of food in there!

"We need to get into the third floor." Sherlock deduced, "the security is lighter up there, stupid of him of course."

"The higher up people are they think their safe." John nodded obviously remembering the case with the blind banker.

"Well, how are we going to get up there?" Lestrade asked, "We can;t very well climb and no ladder is that tall."

"I have somebody," Sherlock replied, "Who may be able to help."

The detective sent a quick text and waited by the gate of the grounds while the police tried for the hundredth time to break the bars on the windows. Finally a taxi pulled up, Lestrade was expecting one of Mycroft's agents, maybe even 'Athena', what he wasn't expecting was Marie.

"Sherlock! She's just a little girl!" Lestrade exclaimed as she made her way over.

"I can help." She nodded firmly.

"Marie has special skills in this area." Sherlock added, "Can you get to the third floor window and pick the lock?"

"As long as it's not German." She answered.

"I'll guide you through it if you can't." Sherlock replied, "Go on."

Lestrade was about to protest but John locked eyes with him and shook his head, the inspector shut his mouth. If John thought she could do it, there wasn't much doubting.

Marie spent a minute looking up at the large building and then to everybody's surprise ran up the side of it. When she couldn't run any further up she jumped, twisting in mid air and landing on the house next door and pushing off again. Bouncing back and forth between the two brick walls like an acrobat, slowly making her way up to the window. Finally she grasped the window with one hand and backflipped her way onto the ledge, crouching there like a frog. She then spent the next few minutes fiddling with the locking mechanism on the window before slipping inside.

A few minutes later the locking system on the bottom two floors was switched off and the police stormed the house. Marie stood proudly, waiting for them near the control pannel on the second floor before jumping onto the banister with two feet and surfing down, jumping of and sticking the landing perfectly at her fathers feet.

"He's in his bedroom, I jumped from furniture to furniture to avoid the floor boards,"She explained, "He didn't even know I was here."

Sherlock ruffled the girls hair affectionately as a form of thanks. Lestrade just sighed, every time he though he had those kids figured out they pulled something like this.

_Marie fiddled with the lock again, her palms were sweating. If she messed up again she'd be sleeping in the animal pen again and she really didn't want that, but she didn't want to rob these people either. She wondered why kids ran away to join the circus, it was horrible here. Every since she was a baby she's been trained as an acrobat, climbing, flipping and all. But the real reason they wanted her was because she was small, she could fit through blind spots that her parents couldn't._

_With her acrobat training she was a perfect little thief, so now, while her parents distracted people with their show, she broke into the surrounding houses and took what she could. Or at least she would if she could get this damned lock undone!_

_"A tad younger than I suspected, I thought you'd be in your double digits."_

_She spun around so fast she almost made herself faint. A man was standing there watching her, she recognized him, he was investigating the mysterious thefts that took place when her circus was in town. Her thefts. _

_"Funny, you don;t see to be enjoying yourself very much." He continued, "Judging by the staining on your clothes and the bruising hidden under your arms I'd say you were forced into this. Been sleeping with the horses have we? No wait, the monkeys."_

_"How'd you-?"_

_"Deduction." He replied, "Now, are you going to continued trying to break into that house or not? It's a German lock, I doubt you will get it."_

_"I...ummm." _

_"Would you do this if your parents didn't make you?"_

_"No of course not!" She replied straight away, he was staring right at her, he was trying to figure out if she was acting. She wasn't. _

_"Well come on then." He said turning and walking away._

_"Where?" She asked, "Aren't you gonna arrest me?"_

_"I do not believe in punishing children for things they cannot be blamed for." The man replied, "I will take you somewhere safe, then I will go to the police with overwhelming evidence that your parents committed the thefts." _

_"You're...gonna protect me?" She gaped following after him, her lock picking tools abandoned on the path._

_"Has nobody ever done that for you?" He asked, she shook her head._

_"Your name, its Marie is it not?" He continued, she nodded._

_"My name is Sherlock Holmes." He introduced_

_"Thank you." She breathed, wringing her hands together. _

_It may of been the dark shadows obscuring her vision but she was sure that he had smiled, just for a few short moments. _

**It's been a while since I did an origin story and I've been strapped fro ideas as of late so I figure I'd go with it. I've got about five half finished chapters for this story on my computer but they don't seem very good so I haven't gotten around to finishing them. **


	25. Chapter 25: Wings and Windows

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

* * *

Halie was reading a book about Hobbits and magic rings when she heard the thump against her window. The sound baffled her,it sounded slightly hollow, not like a rock or stick, reluctantly putting the book down she made her way over to the window. She inspected the small flower bed that as attached to the outside of her window. She'd been using it to test the growing rates of flowers in various fertilizers but there was an extra object in the box.

"Oh." She gasped

Sitting between her daffodils was a small bird with brown feathers, a sparrow. It was beautiful. The bird was laying awkwardly on it's side, it must of hurt itself when it hit her window. Gently Halie lifted the bird into her palm, it gave a small frightened chirp.

"It's ok little one." She cooed, gently stroking the soft feathers on the birds back with the back of her finger.

Gingerly she placed the bird on her pillow, it hopped up onto it's feet, but it didn't fly. She didn't know how to care for a bird, she figured she better start with a home for it. It didn't take her long to rustle up a cardboard box and place it full of a towel to form a bed for it. The bird chirped again, Halie smiled.

"Your wing looks sore," She noted, "Bird's bones are almost hollow or something like that, I read it in a book. Maybe I should bandage it for you."

After some careful cutting some white bandages she wrapped the birds wing, it jumped about the box and screeched a bit but eventually she had it set. Afterwards the bird jumped onto her finger and gave a satisfied chirp. Halie smiled.

"Well, since you will be living in my room until you can fly, I'd better give you a name." She decided, "Something special and not too ordinary."

The bird hoped up her arm and settled on her shoulder, maybe he;d been around people before?

"Giovanni." Halie decided patting the birds head softly, "Thats a prestigious name."

Halie placed Giovanni back in his box and went to find something for him to eat, what do sparrows like eating? Worms and bugs obviously, but she didn't have any that were safe for bird consumption, they were all being used for experiments. She'd seen people throw bread and seed to ducks in the park before, maybe sparrows would like bread too.

As it turns out they had some whole grain bread in their cupboard, seeds and bread in one. Hopefully Giovanni would take to it. Breaking off a small piece she crumbled it between her fingers into Giovanni's box, the bird inspected the crumbs for a few moments before gobbling them down.

Halie spent the next three days in her room with Giovanni, she spent her time observing him and writing it all down in a notebook while devouring aviary text books. From them she was able to deduce that Giovanni was about a year old and it would take a little over a week for his wing to heal.

She'd just been settling down to start reading the fourth chapter of her current book, Giovanni was trying to eat a piece of popcorn and failing. He hopped along the rim of the bowl pecking at the pits of blown up corn, making a frustrated chirping noise as he went.

"Popcorn isn't for sparrows Giovanni," She giggled, "Quiet down I'm trying to read."

"So, this is where you have been these past few days."

Halie turned to see Sherlock standing in her doorway, Giovanni squeaked.

"He ran into my window." She smiled softly, "I've been looking after him."

"You can't keep a sparrow Halie." Sherlock sighed, "If you do, everybody else will start taking in wild animals."

"I know." Halie smiled sadly, "I'll unbandage his wing when it's better and let him fly away."

Giovanni gave a peep and climbed onto Halie's finger, cocking his head at Sherlock with curiosity. Sherlock raised an eyebrow and held out his palm for the bird. At first he hopped backwards toward Halie but after a few seconds it tentatively leapt onto Sherlock's open hand. Fluttering his wings slightly as he went. The detective held the bird close to his face, gazing at it critically for a few seconds.

"You have done a good job caring for it." He noted proudly.

Giovanni chirped again and to Halie's surprise flew off Sherlock's hand and back to her shoulder, somewhat shakily. She beamed.

...

Three days later the excited bird was flying around her room, singing it's little heart out. Halie recreated the whistle and Giovanni flew to her landing on her open palm. She gave the bird a soft pat on the head and opened up her window.

"Off you go Giovanni, back to the sky where you belong." She sighed happily.

For a few moments the bird hovered in the air as if uncertain before taking to the sky. Halie grinned and watched it as it swooped over the street below and off into the sky.

She watched it until the tiny bird was just a speak on the horizon.

**A bird hit my window today and I patted it and helped it up before it flew away. It wasn't a sparrow but it did inspire me to write this. I chose Halie because I wanted to show her softer side. **


	26. Chapter 26: Deep Freeze

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

* * *

Natty opened her eyes.

She was not in her bed, she was sure she'd gone to bed at 222 but now she was sitting in what appeared to be a freezer. Quickly she calmed herself, it was one of Sherlock's first lessons.

_Don't panic, always take time to observe. Panicking won't help._

Taking a deep breath she looked down at her body, she was not sore or hurt in any way. Save a few light bruises which looked as if they had been caused by somebody picking her up roughly. She pressed her palm to her mouth and sniffed it, slight scent of chloroform. She'd been drugged in her sleep by a damped cloth, picked up and bought here. Unfortunately the freezer had no windows, not even in the door. She had no way of telling how long she'd been here expect to guess by how cold she was.

Shivering, she puller her pajamas around her for extra warmth, wishing she had her trench coat. The door was solid steel and dead locked from the outside. Even if she had her lock picking tools she couldn't open it. The freezer wasn't pleasant at all, she was surrounded by pig carcasses, she didn't think she;d be eating pork any time soon.

Shivering she hoped somebody was looking for her, the room seemed to be getting colder. She couldn't escape so she went with her plan B. She screamed.

_It's always better to seem weaker than you are. People will underestimate you._

"Let me out! Let me out!" She hollered, "Who are you? Let me OUT!"

She slammed her palms against the door, making as much noise as possible.

"Be quiet!" Came a deep voice, a man with a blonde pony tail opened the door. Suddenly Natty didn't have to pretend to be scared.

"M-Moran..." She stumbled backwards, "You were in jail!"

"Escaped." He snorted, "Honestly, I didn't get to be Moriarty's right hand man by mistake."

"Why did you kidnap me and lock me in a freezer?" Natty asked, maybe her siblings were around here somewhere?

"You were the easiest to grab, I only need one of you." He smiled, it made Natty nervous.

"Why?" She asked trying to hide the tremor in her voice.

Moran reached into his pockets and pull out a mobile, note pad and handgun.

"Let's get started shall we?"

...

Sherlock had been full out for the last hour since the call from Lestrade.

Moran had escaped.

He would defiantly be coming after the detective, for once John didn't complain about Sherlock's refusal to rest. Right now John couldn't sleep if he wanted to, he was doing his best to help Sherlock. He'd checked the Irregulars a few hours ago, they were all staying inside. Sherlock jumped to his feet when his phone showed an unknown caller, he grinned and pressed loud speaker so John could listen.

"Dad."

John had never seen a smile drop from Sherlock's face so fast. His skin when white as a sheet when he heard the small voice, John felt the blood drain from his own as well.

"Natty?" He gasped

"Better listen Daaaaaady or you wont ever find me." Natty's voice came through.

"Alright I'm listening." Sherlock replied

"It's pretty cold here, I hope your fast cause I really d-don't want to freeze," Natty began to falter, "Well at least if I die, I...I'll be put to good use. I don't know why people have such a problem with eating human meat."

John started to gag at that.

"Don't worry, I'll be mixed in with the pork sausages so you won't need to worry."

"She's just a child!" Sherlock growled.

A pause.

"I think she'd be more useful as minced meat, literally." Natty's voice was wavering badly now. No amount of street life or training could prepare such a young girl for this.

"Natty, deep breath." Sherlock said quietly, "Only say what he tells you, I need as much information as possible."

"Sorry Sh-Sherlock." Natty sniffed, "Freezer, Pork, Natty mince meat. That's all you are getting. Better hurry before I freeze."

...

Natty was terrified. Terrified and cold.

Moran had turned up the freezers power, now there was frost gathering on her clothing and hair making them stiff. The call had been three hours ago and she was beginning to get sleepy. She wanted nothing more than to curl up and try to rest but she knew she had to stay awake. The longer she did the longer Sherlock had to find her, plus the fact that she really didn't want to be fed through a meat grinder.

...

It had taken him far too long to figure it out. Natty was being kept in a freezer at the house down by the docks. He just had to get there in time, subconsciously he and John had made a deal. He would go with the police to take down Moran, Sherlock would get Natty.

Partly because he needed to make sure she was okay, mostly because if the detective laid eyes on Moran he would be too distracted by ringing his neck.

He unlocked four freezers before he found her, curled up in a tiny blue ball.

"Natty!"

"D-d-dad." She shivered.

Sherlock didn't hesitate to take off his coat and wrap it round her and lift the bundle into his arms. He quickly carried her outside the freezer and put her down against the opposite wall, checking her over for injury.

"Natty tell me how you feel." He told her slowly, her brain would be slow from the cold, "I need to know if you're hurt."

Some of the police officers were there now and John, Natty seemed relieved to see him.

"Natty, I need to check if your have been injured." John hushed as the girl continued to shake.

"I...I was so scared!" She blubbered gripping the front of Sherlock's shirt and sobbing.

Sherlock embraced her softly, stroking one hand over her hair in an effort to calm her. John had to admit, he was doing a good job.

"It's okay Natty, we got him." Sherlock assured.

"I thought you w-wouldn't find m-me in time!" She cried.

"I'm here, everything's fine Natalia." Sherlock hushed.

They stayed like that for a long while, the police filtered away and John went to punch Moran until he was unconscious. Funnily enough the ENTIRE police force seemed to miss it, coming to the conclusion the injuries were sustained in the initial struggle.

Finally, Sherlock emerged from the ghastly place with a slumbering Natty in his arms.

**Sorry this is kinda average, Ive been distracted with my new Sherlock story "Alphas and Omegas"**


	27. Chapter 27: Deep Freeze Aftermath

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

* * *

Sherlock didn't let go of Natty until they reached the police station, by which time she had defrosted and begun to sniffle. John said she would have a pretty terrible cold for at least a week. When they entered the station they were all surprised to see not only Mira waiting for them but Clara and Nina.

"They insisted." Mira smiled, "I didn't put up much of a fight, somebody has to stay with Natty while we...'talk' to Moran."

Sherlock just nodded, carefully putting Natty down next to her sisters Sherlock gave her as look, Natty nodded. She was okay.

John, Sherlock and Mira then went down to the holding cells to speak with Moran. Once again, the police seemed to all miss the fact that it was protocol to have an officer with them.

...

"Will Natty we okay Uncle Lestrade?" Nina asked as the police medic gave her another look over just to be sure.

Nina and Clara sat with Lestrade, Donovan and Anderson in the firsts office while they waited. Lestrade stayed because he knew the two girls might be frightened, Donovan and Anderson stayed because they were afraid if they didn't keep an eye on them they'd go through their desks.

After a while however their determination wavered and they resulted to whispering like a bunch of school girls. Lestrade groaned.

"Would you two keep it in your pants?" He sighed obviously forgetting the two minors who were sitting in the room momentarily.

"You are welcome to join us." Anderson teased making Lestrade cough.

"No thanks, go find some other officer to join you in your threesomes." The inspector replied.

"What's a threesome?" Nina asked, adults always seemed to forget they were in the room when these sorts of things came up.

All the officers paled. Maybe it was something bad?

"It's ummmm when three people are very, intimate with one another." Lestrade answered, he looked like he was telling the truth but he was stumbling over the words.

Intimate meant close, both girls knew that, so a threesome was three friends who were very close and trusted one another? That made sense. After all who would want to be close to Anderson and Donovan? Not their uncle that's for sure.

"Is that was mum, dad and Uncle John are?" Clara asked.

Donovan spat out here coffee, really after all this time she still didn't believe her father could have friends?

"I think so." Nina nodded.

"I don't think you two understand what we mean," Lestrade stammered, "When we say intimate we mean, very intimate as in, nobody else around."

"Dad kicks us out of 221b when he needs time with John and mum." Clara pipped up, directing her voice at Nina not noticing Anderson turning an odd shade of green.

It was true, when he had a case that was too dangerous for them he always kicked them out and made them stay next door while John worked with him, sometimes their mother. John always said that Sherlock was the brain, he was the muscle and Mira was the distraction and inside woman.

"How long does he kick you out for?" Donovan asked suspiciously.

"Sometimes its only a couple of hours but sometimes it all day," Clara replied, "It depends on how many experiments they want to do and how long it takes to clean up the flat afterwards."

"This one time John was really angry because dad ruined his favorite shirt." Nina laughed, so did Clara. They would never forget, John had barely spoken to Sherlock for three days after the detective had used his shirt to test various acids on material.

"Oh my God!" Donovan gaped, she looked like she was going to be sick.

"I mean, it makes sense doesn't it?" Anderson babbled, "Why would he live with John and not with his wife unless...wow she's really a free spirit huh?"

"And then there's Irene..." Lestrade whispered.

"Who's Irene?" Donovan asked.

"Our Aunty Irene." Clara answered, "She's a dominatrix."

"She's a what!"

"Really do you need to shout?" Natty asked as she reentered the room still dragging Sherlock's long coat behind her.

"They don't seem happy that Aunty Irene is a dominatrix." Clara explained

"She is." NAtty confirmed, "But nobody will tell us what a dominatrix is!"

"I think it's got something to do with horses." Nina theorized

"Why do you think it has something to do with horses?" Lestrade asked, that was pretty far from the truth.

"Well, why else would she give Dad a riding crop for his birthday?" Nina asked.

For some reason this made all the adults in the room turn very red, even more so when Sherlock, John and Mira entered the room.

"What's wrong with you lot?" John asked.

"Nothing! Absolutely nothing at all!" Lestrade breathed.

"Yeah well, Um we're gonna be going now!" Anderson announced

"What on earth were you all talking about?" Sherlock asked obviously confused by their actions.

"Nothing! We weren't imagining-I mean talking about anything!" Lestrade continued

The girls all looked at each other and sighed.

Adults...


	28. Chapter 28: The Ones You Don't Mess With

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

* * *

_Earlier, down in Moran's holding cell…_

The blonde man was in handcuffs, sitting on the hard plastic chair by the metal desk used for interrogations. Sherlock, John and Mira entered in silence, faces blank.

"Mira dear, watch the door will you?" Sherlock drawled, "We wouldn't want anybody interrupting."

She nodded and the door slammed closed.

In an instant Moran was being held up against the wall by Sherlock, he was surprisingly strong for somebody so thin. His face was murderous. In fact John was pretty sure if he weren't here the police would discovered Moran was gone and his body would never be found.

"If it were up to me, you'd never leave this cell alive." Sherlock sneered, "But it's not. But know this, if you ever come near this family again. I will kill you."

…

Myers wasn't a fan of undercover work, especially when it involved him pretending to be a new gang member and waiting on the streets to jump people. Luckily he wasn't the only new member of this gang, however he was the only undercover cop. Which meant keeping silent. Right now the group were waiting in a darkened street for people to jump, the boss had just wanted money and valuables but if anybody made too much fuss they had permission to kill. Myers was going to make sure that didn't happen.

'Just one week' he reminded himself, 'One week and you'll have the info you need and you can go home.'

"How bout her?" One of his 'fellow' freshman asked pointing out to a woman on the street, "She looks like she's well off."

Myers heart sunk when he looked at the woman with the long dark hair, it was Mira. Oh no. He had to stop that he wouldn't stand for it if they attacked her!

"Are you mad?" Their leader growled, "We can't jump her don't you know who she is?"

"What?" Myers gaped

"That's Mira Holmes!" The man hissed, "You've got to be mad to mess with her."

"Why?" His fellow asked, "She's hardly packing heat and she's as easy picking!"

"Holmes as ion Sherlock Holmes's wife!" The man growled, "We even go near her the detective will ruin us. Same with his kids or John Watson. Didn't you hear about what happened to Sebastian Moran?"

"That guy who kidnaped one of his kids?" Myers played dumb.

"The very same." The boss nodded, "Holmes has his homeless network tailing Watson and Mira everywhere. We so much as approach her they'll report to him and we're dead before the night is over."

"The Holmes clan is under the official, do not mess with stamp." He continued, "Even the kiddies, have you seen that monstrous dog they walk around with?"

"Nothing a bullet wont fix." His fellow grumbled

"You harm them, you may as well shoot yourself for all the good it will do you." The boss snorted.

Myers let out an internal sigh of relief, Mira was safe. He then gave himself a mental slap because Mira was Holmes's WIFE and he shouldn't be thinking about her. He was impressed though, Holmes certainly had made an impression on the criminals of London.

**Just a short piece. I've got a few more chapters planned but I welcome prompts :)**

**NOTE: Mira's name isn;t actually Holmes, they just think that because people believe she really is married to Sherlock when she isn't  
**


	29. Chapter 29: Pack Mentality

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

* * *

"Get out of here you street rat!"

Lisa hissed as she was pushed into a tree, it was the boys from North London Prep. North London Prep was one of the higher class middle schools in the area, all the kids who attend were from posh families with loads of money to spare. They reminded her of a rough, more emotional Mycroft.

"I'm not a street rat!" She spat, "And this is a park, I have the right to be here same as you."

"Well, you smell like street filth." One of the boys turned up their noses and pushed her further away.

"If you don't want to see me fine!" She growled, "But I'm collecting leaf samples and I need to climb that tree!"

She attempted to get past the bigger boys but once again was shoved to the ground, she glared at them.

"Aw, are you gonna cry?" One taunted.

Feeling her blood boil she pulled back her leg and kicked him hard in the shin. She was sick of people assuming she was worth nothing, she was important and she would fight to prove it.

"You little rat!" He hollered, he pulled back a fist which Lisa easily dodged only to have another boy land a hit to her chest. That one left her winded and coughing.

"Don't get too big for your boots!" The other boy laughed as she tried to get her breath back.

"Did anybody ever tell you that hypocrisy isa terrible habit?" Came a dark voice.

The boys turned around to see Joe, leaning against a nearby tree, cracking his knuckles as he observed them through his thick fringe.

"You think you're smart don't you?" Came another voice as Dan stepped out from behind another tall trunk, "Because you have expensive clothes and go to an expensive school."

The Prep boys seemed nervous now as the faces seemed to appear out of nowhere, all deadly serious.

"But let me tell you," Mikey joined, "You're really not."

"You see but you do not observe." Ricky smiled.

"Other wise you would of noticed..." Riley hissed.

Lisa got to her feet, completing the circle around the prep boys, trapping them.

"That Holmes's always hunt in packs." She finished

"And another thing," Joe continued, "You should know better than to mess with one of us."

"Because, if you mess with one of us."

"You deal with all of us."

The prep boys looked truly frightened now, the small group of Irregulars finished each others sentences, alternating every few words as they closed in.

"And we don't just use our fists." Mikey grinned, "Not all the time."

"We do something, much worse." Riley hissed.

...

"Did you hear about those wealthy families that were caught up in the scandal?" John asked Sherlock as they sat together in 221b Baker Street.

"You know I don't do trivia." Sherlock sighed.

"I'm only mentioning it because I thought you might have something to do with it." John replied, "Every tiny dark secret was revealed to the press all at once, complete with proof. I feel sorry for their kids, they must be going through hell at school."

That was all that as discussed on the matter in the Holmes house hold. However, Lisa found that she never saw those boys near her tree again.

**Inspired by that scene in SIB where Sherlock goes all BAMF on the AMerican for hurting mrs. Hudson.**

**HELP! I'm looking for this fanfiction and I cant find it anywhere! **

**In it John is thought to be dead due to drowning but in the end Sherlock finds him in a hospital a year later (?) in the amnesia ward. It is a slash story but it's only light and I really wanna read it again! **


	30. Chapter 30: London Fog

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

* * *

Emily wasn't sure how she had come to be standing in the small street, it was dark and foggy. She pulled her long coat and scarf closer to her body to keep the warmth in. It had been years since she'd seen fog in London, it was very interesting, as fun as it was to watch the swirling clouds eventually she decided she had better get back to Baker Street. Her father would be furious that she was out this late, she stepped out onto the street and promptly had to jump back with a yelp when she was almost hit by a cab. Not a taxicab, a handsome cab.

The kind drawn by horses.

"What?" She gaped as she took in her surroundings.

People were dressed in Victorian style clothes, woman with bonnets and large dresses that hid their ankles, men in three piece suits with walking canes and top hats. All around there were horse drawn cabs and gaslights.

"Wow." She gasped.

After a few minutes of taking it all in she finally decided it was best to head back to Baker Street, it can't of moved much right? On her way she glanced a discarded newspaper.

October 1st 1892

1892!

18-fricken-92!

How on earth had this happened?

Finally she reached the set of flats on Baker street, the gold lettering of 221 glinted in the light from the gas lamps. Well, now or never. She knocked.

An elderly woman answered the door she looked like Mrs. Hudson only different, the woman's eyes widened when she saw the young teenager standing at her door. Emily suddenly felt very aware that she was inappropriately dressed for 1892, her ankles were showing, she was wearing trousers and her hair was hardly brushed at all, let alone styled.

"Um, I'm looking for Sherlock Holmes?" She tried; the not-Mrs. Hudson made a face.

"What on earth do you want with Mr. Holmes at this hour?" She asked, "And dressed like a savage!"

Savage was a bit extreme.

She was still marvelling at the fact that there was a Sherlock Holmes there at all.

"He's my father." She replied simply

The woman made a face and pointed up the stairs and led her into the flat. The walls were in all the right places but the furniture was different, as were the occupants.

"Mr. Holmes, somebody to see you." The woman said sternly.

The man who turned didn't look at all like her father. His black hair was slicked back, he was wearing a suit and he held a pipe between his fingers. There was another man who looked very red in the face, probably due to her appearance. He was quite large compared to Holmes, his hair was bushy and so was his moustache.

"Goodness gracious!" The man who wasn't Holmes swore, "Mrs. Hudson don't you have anything she can wear?"

"It is rather unusual garb isn't it Watson?" Holmes rolled her pipe as he said so.

"Watson?" Emily gaped, "Uncle John?"

"You are related to this little urchin?" Holmes asked, Emily tried not to flinch at the word 'urchin', in this time and place it was appropriate.

"I've never seen her before in my life." Watson replied.

They didn't get to talk anymore because Mrs. Not Hudson came in and bustled Emily off to her room and forced her into a red dress before arranging her hair in a bun. Emily felt like screaming. Finally she let her back into the room with Holmes and Watson who seemed much more relaxed now that she was dressed.

"Will I be getting my old clothes back?" She asked, "They were made for me by my mother."

"What sort of mother lets a child run around in that?" Holmes asked, "It's best you let Mrs. Hudson take care of them."

"So why is it you are here?" Holmes continued

"Actually I think I'm in the wrong place, see I'm looking for my father-" She started

"And you wish Holmes to find him for you?" Watson asked.

"Well, actually…" Emily wasn't really sure how to say it, her usual rash nature would get her in trouble here. She had to be delicate.

"Do not stammer it is unbecoming of a young lady." Holmes chastised.

"The truth is my father is a detective," She said laying down the construction for the blow.

"And?" Watson prompted

"Named Sherlock Holmes." She finished.

"Holmes! You never told me!" Watson exclaimed.

"I do not have a child." Holmes countered

"Not you, my father lives here but not now, he's a different Sherlock Holmes." She argued, "From the future."

They looked at her like she was insane.

"I don't know how I got here but up until a little while ago I was happily living in the year 2012, at Baker Street, with my father, my mother, uncle and siblings!"

"Interesting." Holmes muses.

"Look I can prove it!" She yelped running into the other room and bringing out her clothes, she held up her jeans.

"Have you ever seen material like this?" She asked.

Holmes seemed to find them fascinating.

"I think she's insane." Watson said finally, "Poor thing."

"I concur." Holmes nods.

"What, no!" Emily cries, "I'm not insane!"

"You should call the authorities." Holmes says again, suddenly it's like time skipped forwards and she's being carried down to a cart full of cackling people.

"Hey no let go of me!" She yells.

"LET ME GO!"

…

Emily's fist connects with somebody's face.

"Jesus!" John swore. Emily's eyes flew open, Uncle John!

John, the proper John with his usual jumper was sitting on the floor next to her bed. She was in her pyjamas, which were soaked with sweat at the collar.

"Uncle John! You're back!" She grinned throwing her arms around his neck.

"I wasn't aware that I went anywhere." He laughed, "How are you feeling?"

"Feeling?" Emily questioned, "Why?"

"You decided it was a good idea to mix some of Sherlock's chemicals with hallucinogenic pills to see what would happen yesterday remember?"

"Vaguely…" She murmured, still thinking about the other Holmes and Watson.

"You got an lung full of toxic gas, you've been out cold since with an awful fever." John explained laying his palm over her forehead, "But it seems to be almost gone now."

"Oh." She said dumbly.

"You had Sherlock worried." John sighed, "The only reason he isn't here now is because I drugged him to get some rest."

Emily nodded. That was a good idea.

"Now, you lie back down and I'll go wake him up for you ok?" John said gently, Emily nodded.

It was good to be home.

**I'm planning on doing another chapter about this but from Sherlock's point of view so we can get protective father mode on :)**


	31. Chapter 31: London Fog Sherlock

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

* * *

Sherlock was ordering files in his mind palace, it helped him relax. There had been no interesting cases for him to take on for several days so he had spent them teaching various scientific facts to the Irregulars. Currently they were following some of his more simple experiments in the kitchen, he'd written them down for them. He was just reorganising some old simple cases ready for deletion when a sound broke him out of his palace before he had the chance. Very few things could pull him from his palace unwillingly; one of them was the sound of the Irregulars yelling.

"Da-_gasp_-Dad!"

His eyes shot open and he stood up to find the kitchen filling with an unpleasant hazy smoke. Emily coughed and spluttered as she breathed it in. Acting on instinct Sherlock held his breath and practically dove into the kitchen and pulled her out. The vapour stung his nose and eyes but he managed to avoid breathing in any large amount.

Emily continued her spluttered and was now turning a worrying shade of blue-green.

"I told you not to deviate from what I'd written for you!" He scolded feeling slightly panicked, "John! John get down here! Bring the medi-kit!"

He heard his blogger come thundering down the stairs, he could tell by the louder thump every second step he was carrying something, the medi-kit. Good. His brain quickly realised the smoke was filling the kitchen he had to get rid of that beaker.

"It's alright, you'll be alright." He hushed to Emily before once again holding his breath and diving into the kitchen and neutralising the haze with various other chemicals. Then he opened all the windows to help dissipate the fog, finally his lungs started to remind him that they needed air and he dove back into the sitting room and took a large breath.

John was checking Emily over, she was breathing much easier now but each breath had a painful wheeze.

"What did she breath in?" John asked, Sherlock listed off the chemicals he'd seen in the beaker.

"She mixed hallucinogenic into it." Sherlock growled, "I told her not to deviate!"

"Why do we even have hallucinogenic?" John snapped, Sherlock felt a small amount of guilt twist his guts.

"Will she be alright?" Sherlock asked

"She'll be okay in a while but she is going to be pretty ill for a while." John sighed, "We need to get her to bed."

Sherlock scooped her up and in a matter of minutes was depositing her into her bed. She already felt warm to the touch. Emily was asleep in seconds.

…

Sherlock remembered when he suffered from the Saracen assassins poison dart, how everything was unbearably hot and painful and his brain wouldn't function. He also remembered how frightened Dan had been seeing him that way.

Emily's fever had risen and she moaned painfully turning from side to side, she was conscious but hardly lucid. He carefully cradled her head against his chest, which seemed to calm her slightly.

"Go to sleep, John says you'll be fine in another 12 hours." He hushed

She mumbled something unintelligible and snuggles against the detective's chest, murmuring something about fog before falling asleep.

...

"Can't you give her something for the pain?" Sherlock hissed as John carefully held the thrashing girl down on the bed.

"Not anymore than she's had already." John replied.

"Well she is still in pain! It's not working!" Sherlock argued with frustration.

"Holms'...Wa-sn..."

"Is she trying to say our last names?" John questioned, "Strange dream."

"It's the fever obviously." Sherlock snapped, he would of said more but he had to stop to cough.

"You got a bit of that gas as well." John noted, "You should rest too, just so it doesn't get aggravated. The last thing I want is two of you two in this state."

"I'm fine." Sherlock argued

"da...dad..."

"She needs me here." He continued.

"She needs rest and so do you." John argued.

Sherlock didn't reply after that, he took over calming the fitful girl while John went to get tea for them both. Sherlock downed the cup gratefully, his throat had been killing him and the tea bought welcome relief.

A few minutes later his eyes began to droop and he regretfully went back ove the memory of drinking the tea. It was sweeter than usual. Sleeping syrup. Just like the boys had given him in his soup those weeks ago, only this time he hadn't figured it out in time.

"John that was low." He growled as the doctor pushed him onto the Irregulars couch.

"You'll thank me later."

"You better take care of her." Sherlock threatened weakly.

He didn't really mean it, he knew if he couldn't be there John would be his next choice. She was in capable hands.


	32. Chapter 32: Caffeine

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

* * *

**Diogenese Club. Now. Before I spear them with my umbrella. - MH**

Sherlock had grinned at the message, John had mirrored the expression, obviously the children were making mischief in the elder Holmes's club. He had fully expected to see, or rather hear, some of the children singing very off key on purpose when he entered the main room. What he saw instead was much worse.

For one, Carlo was swinging on the chandelier.

"What are you doing up there?" John gaped running underneth the boy incase he fell, it was a high ceiling, even Sherlock was slightly confused as to how the boy had gotten there in the first place.

"Checking for spiders Uncle John!" The boy replied in a hurry, "Spiders like high places and I figured hey whats the highest place I can reach and the answer was this! Boy it was hard getting up here, I had to really climb and it was a good challenge though, challenges are good don't you think dad?"

The whole speech came out so fast Sherlock only blinked in surprise.

"Hi dad!" Lisa yelled practically tackling him, "Did you know Uncle Mycroft has a whole heap of really pretty rubber stamps for all sorts of places? I've been trying them all with different pressures and inks but then I ran out of paper but it's ok, I used them on Marie instead, now she looked funny!"

"I like it, look this ones from Sweden!" Marie announced pointing to one on her wrist, "And this ones from Hong Kong and this ones from France and this ones from Italy and this ones from Japan-"

Sherlock stopped listening after that because Marie didn't stop naming all the stamps that were all over her body. He spotted Mycroft who was crouched down by the chimney, he was about to ask why when a face appeared covered in soot.

"Oh hello dad, I was just proving to Carlo that I totally can fit in this chimney!" Mason grinned, "But now I'm stuck but thats ok, I'll wriggle free!"

Mason then proceeded to imitate a worm, a very vigorous worm. Sherlock was going to lend him a hand when John's cry echoed through the room.

"Bloody hell!"

The doctor had opened the door to Mycroft's office.

"I know." The politician sighed.

The entire office was full of red string, stuck to walls and tables with blue tack creating a huge fuzzy red spiders web. In the web, standing on the back of a chair was Natty and behind her was Dan. Both dove through the strings and proceeded to jumo around the room with a fairly impressive display of gymnastics.

"What are you two doing?" Sherlock asked.

"Practicing lasers!" Natty yelled, "You never know when it might come in handy!"

"Yeah!" Dan nodded as he dove under Mycroft's desk.

"Before you got here they stole my Encyclopedia Britannica and copied it all out word for word," Mycroft sighed, "Just to prove they could. That frizzy haired blonde one stacked all the tea cups in the kitchen on top of each other!"

"What the hell has gotten into them?" John gaped as he watched them all bounce off the walls, literally.

"I think I have an idea..." Sherlock mused, picking up Natty's back back and tipping it upside down. A few dozen cans of red bull hit the carpet. All empty.

"That's concerning for a number of reasons." John said bluntly.

SMASH!

They all turned to see Carlo sitting on the ground next to the now broken chandelier.

"WOW did you SEE that!" He cried, "That was SO cool! I mean it was all BAM CRASH SMASH!"

"-And this ones from Russia and this ones from Canada and this ones from Sudan!" Marie finally finished, "Hey! You guys weren't paying attention! Now I have to start again! This ones from Sweden and this one-"

"Oh they are going to be so tired later." John whined.

"Forget later! What about now, they are ruining the club!" Mycroft snapped.

"Don't be a pill Uncle Mycroft!" Dan stuck his tongue out, "Mycroft, Myyyyyyyyycroft, thats a funny name, Mycroooooft!"

"Are you sure they didn't mix it with LSD?" John asked with a raised eyebrow watching the usually serious and calm boy giggle like a four year old.

"Now THAt would be an experiment." Sherlock replied, "They'd bring down the country."

"How much Red Bull do you think they've had?" Mycroft asked.

"Too much."

**I was like "Hey, I wonder why I'm not getting any reviews lately" then I saw how long it has been since I updated. My bad!**


	33. Chapter 33: Reveal

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

* * *

Myers was sitting on his couch watching tv, Doctor Who was on and it was always fairly interesting. He never got the chance to really get into it because of his job, he'd have to go out and buy some DVD's some time if he ever wanted to follow the plot line properly. Right now a group of gas mask zombies were saying "Are you my mummy?" over and over, it was quite creepy.

A sudden loud banging at his front door caught his attention, it was frantic. Quickly he got up, expecting some sort of urgent parcel delivery or one of the his colleagues saying their was a situation.

What he didn't expect was to see Sherlock Holmes.

He was sporting a black eye but looked otherwise okay but that wasn't what Myers really saw, Sherlock was just on the side lines. What he was really focusing on was the half conscious form of Mira slumped against him.

"What the-"

"No time for your drivel Myers," Sherlock cut in, "Quickly, take her."

"Uh..."

It was all he managed to get out before Sherlock gently slid Mira's arm off his shoulder and around Myer's. She blinked a few times like she didn't understand what was happening, there was a bad wound on her forehead, she must be concussed.

"Take care of her." Sherlock said seriously before running off into the night.

Doing his best to remind himself the Mira was Sherlock's wife he carefully laid her down on his couch, Doctor Who forgotten. If she was concussed he had to keep her awake some how.

"I don't suppose you remember what happened?" He tried

"I was undercover for Sherlock," She sighed, "I got found out, he arrived in time to get me outta there though...sorry 'bout this. Your house was the closest and he had to go get them..."

"Right." He nodded, great he was out of things to say! Of all the times to be tongue tied!

"Mummy?"

Myers almost jumped out of his skin. He was met with the face of Nina looking concerned.

"You didn't come home, so I tracked you here." She explained, "Don't worry Gladstone came with me."

"Good..." Mira muttered

Nina kept up a steady line of chatter to keep her mother awake, something Myers was grateful for. He wasn't sure who Gladstone was, though he had a sneaking suspicious it was the monstrous excuse for a dog that had taken up residence on his front step. He had to wonder if the Holmes family were safe with a father like Sherlock running it, the kids seemed to get themselves in an awful lot of trouble. Mira even more so.

"Mr. Myers." Nina called bringing him back down to earth, "I gotta go home, you'll take care of mum?"

"Yeah kid, go on and make sure to stay safe." He added, "London isn't the safest place at night."

"I know, Dad had me memorize all the most dangerous parts of town so I can avoid them." She said proudly before slipping out his window. He just blinked, the door was only a few steps away for goodness sakes!

"He's a good dad." Mira said quietly, "I could tell you were thinking the worst of him because of this."

She indicated to the cut congealing on her head.

"He seems a little, extreme is all." Myers smiled, "He's good at what he does."

"Yes, he is..." She murmured slowly her eyes closed. Slightly panicked he resorted to things he really didn't want to talk about.

"How did you guys meet anyway?" He said through gritted teeth.

"Soup kitchen, I was nineteen." She smiled, Gods they were young then. She laughed when she looked at his face before sighing.

"He's not my husband you know." Myers felt his jaw drop, "We're not even a couple."

"Wait, what?"

"It's just a joke, Lestrade knows." She smiled, "We just like messing with the yard."

"The kids?"

"Adoption." She replied sleepily, "Don't make the mistake though, if anything hurt them or myself, Sherlock would kill those responsible."

Somehow he didn't doubt it.

"Either way...I absolutely trust him." She murmured.

"He's not as mad as he seems then?"

Silence.

"I absolutely trust him." She repeated with a small smile.

Despite his best efforts she did in begin to fall asleep, he got to his feet to rouse her when his door opened and Sherlock stepped in, Myers ignored the splatter of blood that didn't belong tot he detective soaking into his coat. He effectively ignored the police man and inspected Mira's head.

"Honestly, poor John will have to wash that coat seven times before it's clean." She sighed.

"Nina was here." Sherlock deduced though how Myers had no idea.

After a while Sherlock gave him a nod which the officer guessed was his way of saying thank you before departing with Mira to find John. Myers just stared at the door for a while after they left in bewilderment, that had to be London's oddest family.

Odd didn't mean bad though, the detective couldn't help but smile when he retired to bed and found a card made out of cardboard and decorated with crayon writing reading:

Thanks for Looking After Mum.

Love Nina.

**I wrote this chapter about 3 months ago but I didn't like it very much so I kept it in case I ran dry on ideas. I know how I'm going to end this story but I don't want to end it yet.**

**So, prompt away people, God knows I need it. **


	34. Chapter 34: Cupboard

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

* * *

John didn't know why Lestrade bought Donovan to Baker Street when he had a case, Sherlock bickered with her to no end. Ever since Myers caught on about Mira and the kids he and Sherlock actually got on famously. He didn't question Sherlock's ideas, he just followed orders and did what he had to. At the moment John and the officer were looking at each other with shared annoyance as Donovan and Sherlock went at each others throats while Lestrade tried to calm them. The bickering stopped however when a yell pierced the air.

"Mason." Sherlock noted before practically flying out of the room with the others in tow.

It didn't take them long to find the source of the yell coming from inside the hall cupboard.

"The lock has been messed with." Lestrade noticed pointing out the scratched up lock.

"Get me out! Get me out!" Mason cried from inside the cupboard.

"Mason, calm down and tell me what happened." Sherlock ordered.

"I-I was p-practicing lock picking and i-it just closed on m-me!" Mason sobbed, "It w-w-wont open!"

"Claustrophobic." John surmised.

"Very." Sherlock nodded as he got down on one knee to start fiddling with the lock, "He's messed up this lock quite badly, it might take me some time to get him out."

"NO! Nononononononono you have to get me our NOW!" Mason cried banging on the door.

"Mason!" Sherlock half scolded, "What have I taught you about panicking? It doesn't help anything."

"Give the kid a break!" Donovan snapped, the detective ignored her.

"While your in there, use your time wisely." Sherlock continued, "Tell me how bones are formed, I've forgotten, accidentally deleted it."

"This isn't the time for a lesson!" Donovan chided, "How can you be so heartless!"

"God would you shut up." Hissed Myers, "Obviously he's not forgotten about bones, he's trying to distract the kid so he wont panic."

Sherlock turned his head ever so slightly to raise his eyebrows a tiny bit to show he was impressed.

"Dad, it's tiny in here!" Mason cried, "Dark too, I'm being squashed!"

"No, you're not." Sherlock replied softly, "Just tell me about bones, alright?"

"Bones a-are made up of c-cells called osteob-blasts that secrete a-around things m-made of calcium." Mason stammered while Sherlock continued to work through the mangled lock.

"And they contain m-marrow in the m-middle.." Mason continued, however after a few minutes he'd run out of things to talk about to do with bones so Sherlock told him he'd also forgotten about how plants grow, so he got Mason to recite what he knew in that area to kill another few minutes.

"Ah, got it!" Sherlock sighed as the door swung open.

Mason was curled up in the back of the cupboard with his knees up against his chest, he jumped to his feet when the door opened and ran straight to Sherlock who was still knelling on the floor in front of it.

"Oh thank you thankyou thank you!" He gushed taking deep breathes as if he'd been drowning a second earlier.

"Next time you want to pick lock get the box of old ones from under my bed." Sherlock told him, "That way you don't risk getting stuck like this again."

"Yes dad." Mason nodded.

Donovan was the only one who seemed remotely surprised when Sherlock kissed the boy lightly on his forehead before standing up and waving him off.

_Sherlock wandered through the drug dealers house being generally irritated by the lingering scent of cocaine but dutifully ignoring it. All he had to do was find some evidence, plant it somewhere else in order for Lestrade to get a warrant and this case would be all wrapped up. He opened up the broom cupboard in the hall hoping to see some smaller bags of drug he could throw into the yard, what he didn't expect was a little boy._

_The boy was sobbing in the corner of the dark cupboard half sitting behind a broom, he gasped when he spotted Sherlock. Judging from the basic bone structure of the face this boy was the son of the drug dealer he was trying to bust, or at least related in some way._

_"Why are you in a cupboard?" Sherlock asked._

_"Because my dad put me here." The boy replied, "If you're looking for dads medicines they are upstairs."_

_Sherlock decided not to correct the boy on 'medicines' he was too young to understand._

_"How long have you been in here?" He asked instead taking the the boys ragged appearance._

_"Two days this time." He half sobbed, "Could you let me out, just for a little while at least, so I can get some food from the kitchen?" _

_"Better than that." Sherlock half growled, "Come on."_

_The child practically bolted out of the cupboard and followed Sherlock, grasping his coattails. The detective took him down the street and bought him a bag of hot chips which disappeared in seconds._

_"I'm going to arrest your father." He told the boy._

_"He's going to jail?" He questioned, "Do I have to go with him?"_

_"No." Sherlock chuckled, "You will go to a home for children."_

_"Oh." He seemed disappointed._

_"You can stay with me if you like." Sherlock offered, "I have some other children your age."_

_"I can?" The boys eyes lit up, "Will I have to...go in cupboards?"_

_"No, never." Sherlock assured him._

**You asked for protective Sherlock so here you are :)**

**Sometimes I write chapters but don't upload them cause I don't like them or some other reason and I keep them for if I'm out of ideas. I figured I will tell you guys what I have and if you like the sound of them I can upload them.**

**-Mira is very ill while Sherlock is away and the kids and Myers take care of her.**

**-The kids watch horror movies.**

**-Lisa has an allergic reaction to peanuts.**

**-The kids sleep over at Lestrades house. **


	35. Chapter 35: Sleep over

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

* * *

"What do you mean a favor?" Lestrade asked suspiciously.

John had called him up that evening sounding nervous and asking the inspector for help.

"Well, Sherlock, Mira and I are heading out of town for a private case with Joe and Halie and well..." The doctor stumbled over the words, "Mrs. Hudson is away and we can't leave the kids here on their own for three days without somebody to check up on them."

"So you want me to check them every day?" Lestrade relaxed, that wouldn't be too bad.

"Actually, Sherlock doesn't want them left alone at all." John sighed, "Could they stay with you?"

"Wait, aren't there like 12 of them?" Lestrade gaped, "Without Joe and Halie?"

"Yeah..." John finished, "Please Greg, it's only for one night They'll be on their best behavior I swear."

"Isn't there anybody else?" Greg pleaded, "I can't handle them all!"

"You're the only other 'family' they have, if they are going to be good for anybody it will be you."

"Alright, alright."

...

"Thanks Lestrade." John smiled as the twelve youngest Irregulars filled into the inspectors house, "I'm sure Sherlock is grateful too, he's just..."

"Sherlock." Lestrade finished, completely understanding.

"Behave!" John warned before leaving.

The inspector looked at the twelve children, all sporting a back packs and looking at him expectantly.

"Well, um, you will have to camp out on the floor in your sleeping bags." He started, "I guess you should all pick a spot now to save time later."

"Hey Uncle Lestrade cool Walter PPK!" Nina exclaimed picking up the hand gun from it's place on the counter.

"Put that down it's fully loaded!" Greg exclaimed.

"Awesome! Quick, guys find me something to shoot at!" Nina grinned, the inspector watched on horrified as Carlo proceeded to pick up and apple and chuck it across the room. Nina took aim and fired, the bullet pierced the apple and embedded itself in the wall.

"Great shot!" Clara applauded, "Try this!"

She threw a plum from the fruit basket into the air, Nina shot it perfectly again, followed by a mango and an orange.

"It's like fruit ninja!" Mikey grinned.

"Give me that!" Lestrade snapped taking the gun from the girl and snapping the safety back on.

"Aw." She moaned, "How come?"

"Because guns are not toys!" He exclaimed.

"How come Cedric and Mason are allowed to throw knives and I can't shoot?" She whined.

"What!"

He turned quickly to find that Mason and Cedric were indeed throwing knives, using a wooden chopping block as a dart board. By the time he'd gotten them to stop, he had to rush to the kitchen to stop Ricky and Dan from seeing who could drink a beer faster.

"You can't just skull alcohol, you're kids!" He yelled

"Dad never let us try and now is the perfect time!" Dan argued.

"While the cats away the mice will play!" Marie squealed.

"I did not sign up for this..." Lestrade sighed.

"Uncle Lestrade what are these magazines under your bed?" Emily asked from the bedroom.

"Oi! Hey you are to stay out of there!" He yelled back racing to the bedroom, "And do NOT open those!"

...

After a completely exhausting afternoon, Lestrade finally managed to get them all to sit down and eat dinner. At first all went well, idle chatter and general peace for ten minutes while the kids ate their sausages, but when they got to the mash potato instead of eating it, they began sculpting it!

"Check it out, I made the Sydney Opera House!" Ricky proclaimed.

"That's nothing, I made the Eifle Tower!" Natty argued.

"That doesn't look like the Eifle Tower." Lisa argued, "It looks more like Tokyo Tower, My Empire State Building is way better."

"That's just a column of potato." Natty scoffed.

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Shut up both of you." Dan sighed, "Honestly you're so immature...we all know my Pyramid of Giza is the best anyway."

Natty then proceeded to squash it with her fork.

"Not anymooooore." Natty teased.

"You sound like Moriarty." Carlo laughed.

"Don't you call me Moriarty!"

This was apparently a huge insult because the blonde girl promptly flew over the table and knocked her brother to the ground. Emily found this extremely amusing until their tumble sent her mash potato flying, ending up in her hair.

"Hey!" She growled, picking Natty off Carlo and proceeding to roll around on the ground with her as they tugged each others hair.

"Girls!" Lestrade scolded, hoisting them up by their collars, "This is no way for young ladies to behave!"

The girls gave this some thought for a few seconds before promptly scrambling for one another again, taking Lestrade down with them.

...

After such a hectic day it didn't take Lestrade long to fall asleep, which is why he was extremely annoyed to be woken by somebody poking him. The somebody turned out to be Ricky.

"Um, Uncle Lestrade." He muttered.

"What is it?" He mumbled rubbing his eyes.

"I don't want to alarm you but we may or may not of broken the tv." He replied.

"What? How?" Lestrade was wide awake now.

"Carlo shot it with a bow and arrow." he shrugged.

"But-But I don't HAVE a bow and arrow!" The inspector exclaimed getting out of bed.

"You do now." Dan smiled, "Amazing what you can make from a few strips of a bamboo basket, some dental floss and silverware."

...

When John knocked on the door he wasn't sure what to expect but he couldn't help but chuckle as a very obviously sleep deprived inspector opened the door.

"Oh thank God." He breathed when he saw John.

"So...not our regular baby sitter then?" John grinned.


	36. Chapter 36: The Girl

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

* * *

**Earlier I wrote about Sherlock deducing that Joe has a girlfriend and some people wanted o meet her, so here she is!**

"Hey Joe, how come you never tell me anything about your family?" Alice asked as they wandered through the shops in town.

"There isn't anything to tell." He replied quickly. It wasn't that Joe was ashamed on his family, no way, they were just a bit full on. The last thing he wanted to do was scare Alice off with his insane siblings and his father prattling off her life story, she didn't even know he was the same Holmes as the famous detective yet.

"Where do you go to school anyway?" She asked, "You've never said...actually now that I think about it, there is a lot about you I don't know."

"I'm home schooled." He replied honestly, "My father teaches me and sometimes my mother or uncle."

"Cool, I'd love to meet them some time, after all you've met my parents." She beamed.

"Ummm, I guess we could go to my mothers house." He gave in weakly realizing too late his mistake.

"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't realize your parents were separated." She whispered sadly, oh great now he'd have to explain that kettle of fish.

"Actually, they were never together, I'm adopted." He admitted, "It's kinda complicated but he is my dad and she is my mum, they are just not, together. I live with my dad and my uncle."

"Oh, come on let's go meet them!" She smiled, "I really do want to."

Nervously he lead Alice back to Baker street, He wasn't sure what to do. Did he take her into 222 and risk his siblings going crazy like they do every day, or did he go into 221b and hope that John was the only one in. The decision was taken from him when Sherlock stepped out of 222 and saw him, with Alice.

"Ah Joe, Clara was experimenting with rats and they have gotten loose in 222. It's not a big problem we just have to wait until they all get caught in the traps we set out. Shouldn't take more than a few hours." He drawled, "I believe this is you, girlfriend, am I right?"

Oh God...

"Clara?" Alice asked.

"My sister." He replied, "One of them..."

"You have siblings?" She smiled, she had no idea. Please let them be out, please let them be out...

"Thirteen of them actually." Sherlock answered for him, "They are inside with John."

"My uncle." He provided.

"Wait a second. Your dad is Sherlock Holmes?" She gaped, "THE Sherlock Holmes! And Your Uncle is John Watson? The blogger?"

"Well, kinda yeah." He shifted uncomfortably, "Maybe we should hang here another day?"

"No, lets go meet them!" Alice insisted practically dragging Joe into the house. Sherlock smirked.

"Please be good dad." He hissed.

His hope sort of died when he opened the door to find most of his siblings gathering around a severed hand in the kitchen discussing which way is best to experiment with it.

"Joe!" Halie smiled, "Help me make my point, we don't get hands very often, we should use it to study the flanges!"

"No, we should be testing acid of skin action." Dan argued, "We've only used skin grafts before, never anything with actually muscle behind it!"

"What on earth?" Alice almost choked at the sight of the hand on the table.

"I told you we should of come over another day." He moaned.

"Who's this Joe?" Ricky asked slyly, he knew full well that little sneak.

"It's Joe's girlfriend!" Natty grinned, "I told you before! I followed 'em."

"You stalked me?" Alice squeaked, John sent Joe a pitying glance from his arm chair, he'd lost many a girlfriend this way.

"I didn't stalk I tailed." Natty corrected, "And not just you, Joe too. Oh did you know that your sister is sleeping with her english tutor?"

"Natty!" Joe scolded.

"Since when do you care?" She narrowed her eyes at her brother, "You've known for months!"

"You did?" Alice snapped.

"Well, I deduced it when I first met her but I didn't want to cause trouble..." John trailed off, was there any point?

"Back to the point at hand," Dan interrupted, "Dad rarely gives us a whole hand to wrk with so are we dissecting or acid burning people?"

An uncomfortable silence settled over the room, at least it was uncomfortable for Joe. He really liked Alice too and his abnormal family had just gone and ruined it.

"I think you should do acid."

Joe's eyes snapped to Alice's face in shock.

"After all, practicing with skin grafts is all very well but it doesn't give you a realistic idea of what would happen should the acid fall onto a proper body." She continued, "Also, you should start with the stronger acids on the thickest part of the hand, I'd go with the palm."

"Good idea." Halie praised, "Here, you go first, this is an acid my brothers made once, it burnt right through dad's coat!"

"No way!" Alice laughed, "Did you guys get in trouble?"

"Nah, we found him a replacement." Mikey smiled, "You're alright Alice."

Joe just looked on with awe as Alice helped experiment with the hand, shooting him a smile every now and then. John came up behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Joe, never let her go."

**I've got two new videos up on youtube and tumblr :) Sherlock ones ;)**

**BBC Sherlock | 3 Years Later...**

**BBC Sherlock | A Study in Pink Trailer**

**by yugiohlorie :)**


	37. Chapter 37: Fun Facts

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

* * *

**I know this isn't really a chapter but I figured I have to upload it some time XD**

**Irregular Fun Facts!**

****- The first Irregular was Sam.

- Joe's original name was Joseph Wiggins, based on the only Irregular from the original stories to be given a name.

- Holmes and Watson never had a dog named Gladstone, he was a new addition in the RDJ films.

- Riley and Carlo are the only Irregulars related to one another by blood.

- I originally toyed with killing off Natty early on in The Irregulars but opted to kill of Sam instead.

- Mira was originally going to be Sherlock's younger sister.

- Cedric is the only name I put any deep thought into, the others were thought up on the spot.

- Joe was originally only 8 and Riley was 14, their ages were switched later on.

- I named Lisa's mother Belinda after a creepy porcelain doll I had when I was a child.

- The foster home is based on my dorm rooms at school.

- Alice is based on my sister Georgia.

- I write hurt/comfort when I am frustrated and humour when I'm happy.

- Several Irregulars are actually based on my own brothers and sisters and a few are even based on reviewers ;) Those being JFreak, lillybean queen of the ocean and CowMow.

- The Irregulars was supposed to be a oneshot that I wrote on a whim one afternoon just to get it out of my head.

- The scene in Kidnaped II with Sherlock saving Lisa was actually the original idea for the first chapter.

- I was originally going to call Gladstone, Giovanni but I saved it and used it as the name for the bird later on.

- I've toyed with killing off another Irregular but decided against it. So far...

- Many of the chapters in this story were inspired by various songs

- I've already written the final chapter of Baker Street Irregulars.


	38. Chapter 38: Amnesia

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

* * *

"Ow my head." Mikey moaned as he picked himself off the ground.

The boy bought his palm to the right corner of his brow and felt the bloody gash there, judging by the blood on the bottom run of the fire escape he was laying near it must of been responsible for the injury. Groaning his stood up and found his was wedged between a wall and a dumpster, great he would stink now.

What on earth was he doing out here? He didn't remember.

He must of had a row with his dad and ran away again, oh well he was hungry and like always would have to head home now. He walked out of the alley way and found himself on Baker Street, great his house was on the other side of town, how did he even get this far from home?

"Mikey!"

He turned and saw a girl with red hair standing across the road from him, when he crossed she promptly flung herself at him making him jump in shock.

"Do you have any idea how much trouble you're in?" She snapped when she finally released him, "Dad's been worried sick."

"Dad?" He choked, "Dad's been worried about me?"

His dad had never worried about him in the slightest, ever.

"Of course he is, in his own way." She chided, "You disappear all night, no note no nothing! Just gone! He's gone through half a packet of nicotine patches trying to figure out where you went! Don't you know better? Especially after what happened to Natty a few months back."

"Natty?" He questioned, what on earth was this girl on about.

"Who's Natty?"

"Our sister, dolt." She sighed, "Come on, quit kidding around and let's get Uncle John to look at your head."

"Uncle who?" He coughed, "I don't have an uncle..."

The girl apparently didn't hear him, or chose to ignore him as she dragged him inside a house and up into the top flat. Inside was a man with sandy blonde hair sitting at the desk, he sighed in apparent relief when he saw Mikey.

"Mikey where on earth have you been?" He chided, "And what happened to your head?"

"I um, hit it?" He supplied as the man crouched down and proceeded to dabb at it with some cotton wool from the bag on his desk. Mikey flinched at the touch, nobody ever touched him before, save to hurt him.

"Sherlock!" The man called, "Mikey's back!"

"Who's Sherlock?" Mikey asked, the blonde man gaped at him then quickly began examining the cut on his head with more energy.

Before he could ask again a tall man with curly black hair flew into the room dramatically, he looked at Mikey with a critical eye that made him shiver slightly.

"Michael where have you been?" He asked seriously.

"Oooh full name, you know you're in trouble when dad pulls that one." The girl grinned.

"Dad?" Mikey spluttered looking the tall man up and down, "You're not my dad...don't get me wrong I hate my dad but, you're not him."

"Mikey." The blonde man hushed, "Do you know who I am?"

"No." Mikey replied honestly.

"I'm John, your uncle."

"I don't have an uncle..."

"What's your name?" John asked seriously, "Your full name."

"Michael Barrowman..."

The tall man made a kind of growl and retreated down a hallway into a room, slamming the door with a frightening bang.

"Did...I do something wrong?" Mikey asked quietly.

"He's just upset." John sighed, "Mikey I know it's hard for you to believe but that was Sherlock Holmes, your father. He's been looking after you since you were five years old, You're name has been Michael Holmes for over a year now."

"What?" He cried, "I can;t of forgotten all that I...and who are you?"

The question was aimed at the red haired girl who was looking on in shock.

"I'm one of your sisters, Clara" She replied.

"One of?"

"There are fifteen of us."

"I have fourteen brothers and sisters?" He choked, "But...But I...I cant!"

"You've hit your head very hard." John sighed, "I'm sure this is just temporary. You just need to find something that will jog your memory, once that happens your memories should come back quickly."

...

Sherlock paced his room, ignoring the strange feelings in his chest.

Mikey had forgotten him.

It wasn't the boys fault, he hadn't chosen it but it still hurt some some reason. He could hear the conversation going on between the boy and John, he had to trigger Mikey's memory somehow. He began to think...

...

"So, what do we usually do together anyway?" Mikey asked as he walked along the streets on London with Sherlock.

"I solve crimes, you occasionally help and I teach you." Sherlock replied, "The public school system is a joke."

"Oh okay."

He wasn't sure what to say next, neither did his 'dad' so it seemed. They had tried talking, looking at pictures, meeting the other children. Nothing worked. Sherlock had even tried to teach him to experiment but he had only succeeded in lighting a table cloth on fire. Finally the air became much too awkward and Mikey broke away from Sherlock, who made no attempt to follow him.

He ended up closer to his old home with his old father, it was a rough neighborhood but it gave him a small amount of comfort. He walked forever until he heard the all too familiar sounds of a mugging, pushing, shoving and threats. He peered into the alley way to see a teenage boy running away from a woman who was sobbing on the ground. He had a handbag in his arms that clearly did not belong to him, it made Mikey's blood boil.

"Hey give that back!" he yelled, blocking the exit to the alley.

"Shove off kid." The older boy sneered.

_"You have to size up your opponent, find their weakness, use it against them. While at the same time, figuring out how your own talents can help you do it."_

A strange voiced floated through his head, Sherlock had told him that some time. He remembered. Quickly his eyes darted over the boy infront of him, he was favoring his left leg, meaning the right as weaker for some reason. Most likely an injury.

So he swept his feet, hitting behind the right leg and the older boy cam crashing down just as predicted. Almost immediately the elder grabbed for Mikey's foot.

_"Make your environment work for you."_

Mikey jumped, pushing off the wall and landing on the teenagers back.

"Mikey!"

He looked up to see Sherlock running towards him.

Click.

He remembered, God how could he forget! Mikey smiled.

"Vatican Cameos dad!"

**Im afraid this story is coming to a close soon, so if there is anything you really wanna see before I upload the final chapter, now is the time. **


	39. Chapter 39: Links

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

* * *

Myers stared up at the pin board in the main office of Scotland Yard, it was covered in wanted posters, crime scene photos, newspaper articles and all sorts of other pieces of evidence. All from various unsolved cases in the last twelve months from every division of the MET there was. He had really enjoyed his time here so far, recently he'd gotten a promotion and was now in charge of a small investigative division of him own working alongside Lestrade's. At this moment his team were staring at the board trying to figure out which case they were going to try and tackle for the tenth time.

Myers wished he could call Sherlock in on them but not only had he been on some of these cases when they started and been unable to finish them, he refused to take a case twice. Then Myers had a brain wave.

"I think I know somebody who can help us." He pipped up, "Wait here, I need to make a call."

The team whispered and theorized over who this mysterious consultant was, they were so enthralled in the little discussion they didn't pay any attention to the three children when they walked into the room until they started climbing on the desks to get a better view of the pin board.

"Hey you can't be in here!" Sampson cried.

"We were called," The girl replied, "I'm Clara Holmes, these are my brothers Cedric and Mason."

"Called?" Another officer gaped.

"Yes, by me." Myers smiled, "Think you can make any connections your dad missed."

"I bet if you got dad to look at this board he could solve it in an instant." Mason grinned, "But he worked on them individually so he couldn't make the links."

"Got any string?" Cedric asked tugging on Sampson's coat.

Suspiciously the man dipped his hand into a desk and handed the small boy a ball of string which he took gratefully and handed it to Clara who stuck the end of it to a newspaper article. Slowly the three children connected line after line of string to different pieces of evidence, forming a spider web of tiny connections.

"Sometimes a link is small, so small it seems insignificant." Mason murmured just loud enough for them to hear, "But if you add them all up, the threads become visible."

"You couldn't solve these crimes because they are one." Cedric smiled when they finished, "You're trying to finish a puzzle with only a few of the pieces."

"One crime?"

"Don't you see?" Clara chided, "The main suspect of Charles Handson's murder was his wife but she had an alibi. Because the main suspect of that hacking at the university killed him for her in exchange for her hacking the computer system."

"All these people made a deal to commit the others crimes for them, they have no viable connection so the crimes are near impossible to solve." Mason concluded.

"Like that film Strangers of a Train." Sampson snapped his fingers with understanding, "Brilliant! But how did you figure it out?"

Carefully Clara explained all their tiny connections that pulled the people together, everything from gym memberships, shoe choice, hair colour and even bus time tables were a factor. Myers's team was impressed to say the least.

"So Sherlock's kids are just as brilliant as he is." Sampson sighed, "They'll be running the city one day."

"Yeah probably," Myers agreed, "I'm sure whether to breath a sigh of relief or head for the hills."

**Just a short piece to show that they are growing up. **

**People have been asking me to do a piece when they are adults and i figured I should tell you that is what the epilogue is so dont fret you get to see them! It's already written. **


	40. Chapter 40: Tin

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

* * *

**Prompt: One of the kids gets injured but hides it because they were doing something they shouldn't of. – Little Red Riding Brat.**

"I'm not sure about this Halie." Ricky whispered as they clambered over the piles of trash, "Dad says we're not supposed to be out on the streets so late, especially in this part of town."

"It's barely 11:30." Halie scoffed, "We can handle ourselves, I just need to prove Riley right and we can go."

"By climbing onto the roof of Scotland yard?" Ricky groaned, "Riley only dared you to do it because he knew you couldn't!"

"But I can!" She argued, "Dad would never let me try though, so I just have to keep it a secret."

"Yeah, you disobey him twice instead of once." Ricky scoffed as they reached the edge of Scotland Yard, "Come on Halie let's go home."

"I didn't ask you to come with me." She spat as she examined the building trying o figure out the best way to climb it.

"Somebody has to be here in case you break your neck."

She shushed him after that and began to climb up the windows while her brother watched on biting his lip nervously.

"Come on Halie, you're gonna get caught!" He hissed desperately as she reached the third floor.

"We are in the side alley, nobody will notice as long as I'm careful about climbing over windows…" She grinned, "Now if I can just reach that ledge…"

Ricky let out a silent scream as the window ledge she had been balancing on cracked and broke away slightly, sending Halie on a one-way trip to the ground curtosy of gravity. Luckily she managed to grab onto the now old and out of use flag pole hanging from the wall on the second floor.

"Halie!" Ricky cried, "Hold on I'll go inside and get somebody!"

"No!" She insisted, "I'm fine, I'll just drop into that dumpster, if you tell we will both be in so much trouble!"

"You'll get yourself killed." Ricky whispered, horrified.

But before he could say anything else Halie let go of the pole and fell down into the dumpster with a small cry. Ricky quickly ran over and peered inside, Halie sitting on a pile of garbage bags clutching her leg which had the sharp edges of a can lid sticking out of it.

"That's in deep!" Ricky bit his lip again, "Come on we need to get Uncle John to look at it!"

It took the two twice as long to get home with Halie limping with the jagged metal edge still embedded in her calf, finally they settled down onto the couch of 222 Baker street and she breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'll go get John." Ricky told her calmly only to have her grab his wrist.

"No, I'll take care of it, it's not that deep."

"Are you crazy?" He replied incredulously, "You might need stitches and that can is hardly clean."

"If we tell John he will wanna know how it happened and then we will both we grounded forever!"

"Better than you getting sick!"

Halie huffed and limped into the bathroom where they kept the first aid kit and proceeded to hurriedly rip the can lid out of her leg, wash it with warm water and thickly bandaged it tightly. It took nearly an entire roll of gauze until the blood stopped seeping through.

"You should of at least used some disinfectant." Ricky insisted, "Warm water is fine but it won't clean it completely."

"Stop being a know it all, I'm the oldest, I know what's best." She nodded surely, "You'd better not tell anybody got it?"

"What if I do?" He dared, narrowing his eyes.

"If you do, I'll blow up your botany book." She threatened.

"Halie!"

...

The minute he saw Halie the next day Sherlock knew something was different, she seemed too calm almost yet every now and then she would glance at Ricky like she expected him to blurt something out any second. He observed her carefully without letting her see, she was favouring her left leg for some reason, not enough to cause a limp but ever so slightly. She excused herself from lessons twice in order to take paracetemol, of course she lied and said she was going to the bathroom which made Sherlock worry slightly. Obviously she was feeling unwell, but she had never hidden illness from him before, why start now?

He remembered Lestrade once mentioning that girls go through rebellious stages when they enter adolescents, perhaps that was the cause. It hardly seemed probable, hiding things from him was by now means easy.

He sighed and placed a nicotine patch just under the crook of his elbow. He had enough problems with Joe being rebellious and dealing with him was bad enough, John did most of the work. How on earth was he supposed to deal with a girl?

At the moment Halie was happily seated at the table in his kitchen tinkering away with the beakers, he'd told her to stay late under the premise of a new experiment but really he just wanted to keep an eye on her. That's when he noticed the blood seeping through the back on her jeans, her leg was bleeding.

"Halie what happened to your leg?" He asked she jumped, that was odd.

"Oh, just caught it on some, wire." She stammered, defiantly lying.

"Halie." He growled.

"Um, I just cut it is all." She replied, truthfully this time but Sherlock could tell she was hiding something.

"Let me see."

She sighed and reluctantly sat on the couch and rolled up her pant leg revealing the badly bandaged injury, blood stained the gauze. Gently Sherlock uncovered the cut beneath. Jagged edges, a serrated knife? No the cuts were shallower at te edges, this was a circular object.

"A tin lid." He surmised, "Not a clean one judging by the slight infection."

She squirmed uncomfortably, without a word Sherlock left the room and returned with John's medi kit and began to clean the cut with a ball of wool and disinfectant while Halie sat there patiently. Afterwards he wrapped a new bandage around the cut, tightly and properly this time.

"You're lucky, any deeper and you would of needed stitches." He chided, "You might of lost a lot of blood, you should of told John or I."

Halie looked at the floor.

"Ah, I see. You were doing something I forbid." He growled, Halie nodded.

"I was out at night trying to climb Scotland Yard like Riley dared me, I fell into a dumpster and got cut on an old can." She admitted, "I didn't want to get in trouble so I figured if I took care of it...no harm done."

"But there was harm." Sherlock pointed out as he sat back up on the couch, "To you."

"It's just a cut."

"This time, you need to be careful Halie, this could of been more serious."

"I know." She sighed, "I'm sorry."

"I put those rules in place for a reason." He reminded her, "I didn't come back from the dead to have you endanger yourselves."

"I know."

"Good" he nodded, "Now go on, bedtime."

**People asked for a fathers day story but I just couldn't write it. I can't see Sherlock even knowing the date for such a minor holiday or seeing the point in it. **


	41. Chapter 41: Missing

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

* * *

Anderson sneered as he watched the freak rattle off deductions about the cold case to Lestrade; he'd been here for hours solving case after case. Apparently he'd been driving John up the walls and finally the doctor had sent him out in order to get some peace and quiet. Something about him shooting the wall of all things. Weirdo.

"Are there anymore?" Sherlock asked a stressed looking Lestrade, the DI had been furiously taking notes and making calls to various other officers to go and arrest the perpetrators. The freak hadn't paused once meaning he had pretty much had to write at the speed of sound.

"Nope that's the last one." Lestrade sighed looking thankful and flexing his hand.

"Well that was dull."

"Go home and annoying the doctor." Anderson snapped, "We can only take so much freak each day."

Sherlock shot him a look and opened his mouth to no doubt give a snide comment but stopped when his phone gave off a shrill beep. Grumbling, he answered it.

"Sherlock Holmes." He rumbled, walking to the corner of the room for a small amount of privacy while Donovan waved Anderson over to help clean up the files Sherlock had left all over the tables. He'd been about to take a folder from her when the freaks voice breached the air making him drop it in shock.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU LOST THEM!"

Anderson snapped round to see Sherlock looking murderous.

"How do you LOSE fifteen children?" He continued thunderously, pausing to listen to the person on the other end of the phone, "You were in charge of watching them Mycroft! How can they be gone?"

Anderson shot Donovan a look. Was the freak, panicking?

"Well, find them! And you had better do it before I find YOU!" He growled, hitting the hang up button so hard Anderson thought he might actually break the phone.

"Sherlock, what's going on?" Lestrade asked gently, "Has something happened to the kids."

"Mycroft took them with him to Italy to keep them engaged while the house was repaired," Sherlock replied, "He lost them!"

"He lost them?" Donovan chuckled.

"Donovan there are over a dozen unsupervised kids running around Italy, that's hardly funny." Lestrade chided.

Anderson couldn't help but disagree.

…

Three days passed and Anderson was beginning to feel something akin to sympathy, not full fledged sympathy of course, it was the freak after all. He convinced himself it was the normal human reaction to worry about children. Yeah that was it. Sherlock had been in every day going through every file, every piece of footage from anything he could get his hands on, ordering records of train, plane and even bus ticket sales trying to find a link to one of the children. On the fourth day John came in instead.

He could see the man having a hushed conversation with Lestrade by the coffee machine.

"Had to drug him again, he was getting manic after three days with no sleep and only nicotine and coffee." John sighed, "He'll hate me when he wakes up."

"No sign?" Lestrade asked, John shook his head.

"I don't understand why they would do this." John continued, "They must know how worried he is."

Anderson fought back a scoff, the freak?

"We'll find them."

…

It was the next day that it happened; Sherlock was walking through the offices at Scotland Yard heading for Lestrade's. Anderson had been at the coffee machine when the voice called out.

"Dad!"

Both Anderson and Sherlock swivelled around to see one of the brats standing in the corridor, looking very tired but otherwise fine. What happened next Anderson swore was impossible, he'd of been less surprised if a purple elephant had tap danced into the hall.

"Marie!" Sherlock's serious face split into a smile and the little girl jumped up into his arms, "I've been so worried, where on earth have you been?"

"It's all Carlo's fault." The girl insisted still comfortably nestled in Sherlock's arms, "He said we should try and get away from Mycroft's henchmen but by the time we did we were on a train to Germany! It took us forever to navigate home."

Gently, Sherlock placed her back on her feet and crouched down so he was at eye level.

"Where is everybody, are you all okay?" He asked seriousness slipping back into his voice.

"At home, we went there but you were gone, Uncle John is looking after us." Marie replied, "We're all fine, except Joe, he has a cut on his arm from some barbed wire when we were backpacking through France the other day."

Anderson blinked in shock; they went to Italy, Germany and back packed through France all in five days?

"Alright, let's go." Sherlock sighed, placing a light kiss on the girl's forehead, Anderson practically had to drag his jaw off the ground.

"You are all being grounded for this you realise." Sherlock drawled as he and the girl walked down the hallway, apparently oblivious to the forensic officer watching them.

"I know." Marie breathed before taking Sherlock's hand and walking out the doors to the stairs.

Anderson pondered on what he had just seen; he hadn't seen a detective or even a freak. He'd seen a loving father and it was none other than Sherlock Holmes.

**Calling all artists! I have a few favourite scenes from this story I'd love to see illustrated but I can't draw! If anybody is on deviantart or something similar and is willing to take some commissions I will write them into the final chapter of this story ^^ I need a name and personality for the character anyway. **


	42. Chapter 42: Sam

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

* * *

"John pass me the phone." Sherlock ordered, holding out his palm without looking away from the microscope.

"Sherlock it's barely a metre away, you can reach it yourself!" John argued.

"Busy."

John sighed as the door opened and one for the Irregulars walked in, they came and went throughout the day for various reasons so Sherlock didn't bother to check who it was. It was only when John spoke that had any reaction.

"Sam, you're closer, pass the phone on the table to your father will you?"

Sherlock whipped his head upwards and came face to face with Sam, same black hair and goofy grin, placing the phone in his palm, which was still there waiting for the object.

"Sam…what-"

"Yeah I know I'm supposed to be with Joe practicing my elements but honestly dad it's so boring!" He whined, "I just want a break, can I read you're genetics book?"

"John." Sherlock called sharply, "I need to talk to you, and you…go get the book it's in my room."

Sam ran off to Sherlock's room while John came to the man's side.

"Are you alright Sherlock? You look pale." John said with concern, "Well. Paler than usual."

"You do see Sam right?" Sherlock asked feeling annoyed that for once he appeared in the dark.

"Yeah, of course." John replied looking worried, "Are you sure you're okay?'

"John, Sam can't be here!"

"I know he's supposed to be with-"

"No that's not what I mean!" Sherlock exclaimed, "John, Sam died! He died years ago!"

"What on earth are you talking about?" John scoffed, "Obviously he didn't."

"We were chasing the murderer remember? Sam fell off the roof!"

"You mean the time he secretly car hopped trying to help you on the case a few years back?"

Sherlock nodded. John placed a hand on the taller man's shoulder, it made Sherlock slightly uncomfortable, John was using his patient's voice. Like Sherlock was some invalid.

"Sherlock, you grabbed him before he fell, remember?"

"I have a perfect memory John. He fell." Sherlock argued.

"Maybe you should get some sleep, how long has it been since you last rested?" John was leading him to the couch.

"Is something wrong with Dad?" Sam asked as he appeared from the bedroom holding the thick volume.

"He just needs some rest Sam." John smiled, "He's been working too hard again."

"I'm fine." Sherlock shrugged John's hand off.

"I've got to head to the surgery." John sighed looking at his watch, "Sam make sure your dad gets some sleep."

"Gotcha." Sam nodded.

For the next half an hour Sherlock laid on the couch, not sleeping but watching Sam read the book with a critical eye. Something was wrong, he remembered everything about Sam's death, the funeral, the aftermath, everything. How could he be sitting here?

"Sam, I need you to do something for me." Sherlock spoke up; Sam's curls bobbed as he looked up.

"Sure, what?"

"Tell me about all the important things we have done in the past few years." Sherlock ordered softly.

"You're testing my memory aren't cha?" He grinned, Sherlock nodded.

So for the next hour Sam told Sherlock everything, and he got it all right. He told him about The Fall and the spray paint movement, the time Emily almost got hit by a car, the time Sherlock was poisoned and Dan was so upset. He even mentioned things Sherlock himself couldn't remember; the day Sherlock took Sam and Natty to the London Eye, a case with some Russian mobsters and a blue diamond and when Sam had caught the flu a few months ago.

Sherlock let his eyes fall closed and listened to the stories, they were, interesting. Sam spoke for a little longer before abruptly ending the prattle and speaking seriously.

"Time to wake up Dad."

What?

_'I think he's waking up!'_

_'Are you sure?'_

_'I just saw his eyes flicker.'_

_'He's probably just dreaming…'_

_'No look, his heart rate is up!'_

_'Sherlock? Sherlock can you hear me?'_

That last voice was John's, he must have returned from the surgery, dam that mean t he fell asleep.

_'Come on Sherlock, open your eyes.'_

Wait a minute, he wasn't on the couch, he was in a bed, not his own either. The sheets were too crisp and stiff.

With much more effort that was usually required Sherlock forced his eyes open and was met with bright white making his head hurt and the detective wince. After a few blinks to clear his vision and adjust to the light it became apparent he was in a hospital bed. His body was heavy and sluggish like he'd over slept, he couldn't think straight. John was standing over him looking worried; behind him the detective could make out most of the Irregulars curled up on the floor looking a him silently. Sam wasn't among them.

"Sherlock?" John probed.

"John." Sherlock replied trying to ignore the headache that was growing steadily.

"You had us worried." The doctor sighed, "Thank God you're awake!"

"Do you remember what happened?" Riley asked from his place on the floor.

"No." Sherlock blinked, that was odd, he remembered everything. He remembered that strange dream world in which Sam had still been living; he couldn't ignore the pang of disappointment that it wasn't real.

"You went with Mira to go visit Sam, remember?" John prompted, "She tripped on a tree root and you caught her but lost your footing, you hit your head on the gravestone by the tree."

"You've been asleep for three days!" Natty exclaimed, "They tried to kick us out!"

"I'm pretty sure Mycroft is the only reason all of us were allowed here." Carlo thought aloud.

"Mira's been beside herself with worry," John added, "Thinks it's all her fault, I had to call Myers to get her out of here so she could sleep."

"Not her fault." Sherlock rasped, he wanted out of this hospital now, "Let's go."

"Oh no you don't, you are staying right here." John insisted, "Joe, take the others home so they can have a proper meal and rest."

"But-"

"Do as he says." Sherlock interrupted letting his eyes fall closed again. He was tired…

"Is he okay?" Sherlock heard Halie ask.

"He's fine, he just needs to rest." John replied, "Go on off you go, I'll stay with him."

"Sleep Well Dad."

**If somebody draws the hospital scene I will Love them forever 3**


	43. Chapter 43: Sam II

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

* * *

**There is art for the previous chapter of Retsin's deviantart it's called Waking up in Hospital. Its so cool! Show some love!**

The next time Sherlock woke there was only John, idly he wondered how long he'd been asleep but that thought was forgotten when a spike of pain went through his head. He winced involuntarily and squeezed his eyes closed.

"Easy Sherlock." John soothed, "Your head wound is serious, they had to operate to alleviate the pressure on your brain."

"Sam." Sherlock got right to the point, "He died, yes?"

"Yeah, Sherlock are you alright?" John asked worriedly, obviously he thought the detective was suffering from brain damage of some kind. Not an unfounded thought really considered he'd been unconscious for so long.

"Just had to check." He winced, "Strange dream is all."

"I'll up your morphine." John insisted, "Your head-"

"No painkillers!" Sherlock hissed, "They fog my brain, let's just go."

"Sherlock you need-"

"I do not need rest!" Sherlock argued, his head gave a painful throb in response.

"Sherlock Holmes you will listen to your doctor." A female voice insisted.

"Mira." He croaked, how had he not noticed she'd come in the door?

"I am so sorry." She insisted, her features softening.

"It's fine, not your fault." Sherlock waved her off.

Unfortunately this gave John to up his morphine and soon he was feeling heavy and very tired.

"You are no fun, J'hn." He slurred before his eyes flickered closed.

John chuckled.

...

Donovan never really got on with her mother, but she was still her mother. Despite being a bitter woman by nature due to her husbands early death she had raised Sally the best she could. So, out of obligation rather than love Sally visited her mothers grave once a year, cleaned it up, left some flowers, the usual things.

She had just finished said ritual when she noticed a small ball of a person hunched over by a grave. She wouldn't of even taken notice if the person hadn't been wearing a very distinctive coat. She ventured closer and discovered that it was Sherlock, she would of realized sooner were it not for the thick bandage wrapped around his head.

He was sitting on the ground with one knee up in front of the grave looking somber. She was about to yell out and ask him what he was doing here when to her surprise Sherlock began to talk, but not to her.

"Had an odd dream the other night in the hospital that you were still alive." He drawled to the headstone, "I find it slightly demeaning that I didn't realize it was a dream, after all you hadn't aged a day."

"We do miss you." He added after a small pause, "Everything is always very, quiet on your birthday. I drive John up the wall."

"Well, I've been missing for a good hour by now, I had better get back before John has a heart attack. I'll visit again soon."

He sounded, tired. Tired and almost heart broken in a way but not in the tears running down the face way. The kind of heart broken when you've healed slightly but the sadness lingers.

She was going to leave because, obviously she was interrupting a private moment but instead she stayed still and the detective saw her as soon as he turned. Her eyes flicked to the grave.

SAM HOLMES

"Who's he?" She asked quietly, "Your father?"

He gave a half hearted snort of amusement, obviously she was wrong. But there was no malice in his voice when he replied though, only a quiet, regretful whisper.

"My son."

Oh.

Donovan could vaguely remember something about a boy dying during a case a few years ago, Anderson had told her Sherlock carried the body from the scene. She hated to admit it but ever since it was bought to attention that Sherlock was a father he seem more and more human every day. Not that she would ever admit it of course, she'd spent too long fighting with him to give it up now.

At some point Sherlock had turned and left, leaving Sally at the grave sighing.

**While Anderson and Sherlock hate each other Sally has always seemed more like she was just insulted by Sherlock and taken it badly. Even though she was a bitch in The Fall she was doing it because she was manipulated like every body else. I still don't like her, but I don't loath her like Anderson. **


	44. Chapter 44: Ghost

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

* * *

Billy and his brother got on famously even though he was two years older. Jake did what ever he said and it was great! They got into all kinds of trouble when they went out to play on the street of London. Their mother always said they should stay at the park but that didn't stop them. At the moment it was late afternoon and the two boys were standing in front of an old abandoned hotel.

They had heard about this hotel from other kids at school and at the park where they liked to play, everybody who was anybody in this part of London knew about it.

"They say it's haunted." Jake grinned, "That all the kids who died on the street come here to stay."

"I know that, I told you!" Billy scoffed, "A guy in school told me that a few years ago he was walking past and he heard voices coming from inside!"

"That's creepy!" Jake shivered, "I think he was lying."

"I don't. Let's go look for the ghost kids!" Billy grinned, "It will be fun!"

"We'd better not…" Jake mumbled, "That place could be falling apart."

"Don't be such a baby Jake!" Billy elbowed him before running up to a slightly open window and opening it up to crawl through.

Jake followed him like he knew he would, his brother HATED missing out on something, even if he wasn't keen on it to begin with.

The inside was musty and coated in mould and dust but otherwise it was fairly neat. Sheets over all the furniture and a lot of empty shelves, it didn't look like it had been abandoned fifty years ago like the other children said it had, maybe two or three tops. The two made their way to a large reception room with a crystal chandelier, eagerly climbing up onto the bar to get a better look at the ornate patterning on the carpet. That's when Billy heard it, laughter.

"Do you here that!" Jake squeaked, "It's the ghost children!"

"Hurry Pavel! I'll show you where I used to sleep!" Came a girls voice, suddenly there was a small blonde figure at the landing by the top of the stairs, followed by a young boy with curls.

"Oh hello!" The girl called, "I've never seen you before!"

Billy was frozen looking at the girl standing there in a thick coat and scarf. When they didn't reply she jumped onto the banister and slid down to them.

"I said hello." She smiled, "What's the matter, can't you talk? That's okay, Pavel doesn't talk much either."

"Natty…" The boy, Pavel replied quietly, clutching her hand.

"It's okay Pavel, they are just kids like us." She insisted, "No need to be scared."

"He's scared of us?" Jake gaped; imagine a ghost being scared of a person?

"Oh he's just a little nervous, I'm showing him around. I used to live her you know." Natty replied, "My brothers and sisters too."

"So um, he didn't?" Billy pointed to Pavel who was looking at his shoes.

"Nah, he's my newer friend. But he is practically 'one of us' now." Natty shot them another smile, "Would you like to play with us?"

"Sure!" Billy jumped at the chance, how often did you get to play with a ghost?

"Come on, I'll show you the laundry chute!" She insisted, jumping up the stairs with Pavel's hand in hers.

"What are your names anyway?" She asked as they climbed more stair cases.

"I'm Jake, this is my big brother Billy." Jake replied.

"Jake, Billy." Pavel nodded, the brothers shared a look.

"That's just how he says hello." Natty explained as they reached the top, "Here is the chute!"

She pointed to a silver door in the wall.

"At the bottom is a big tub filled with old sheet, it's the best slide ever!"

Pavel let go of Natty and with a smile pushed open the door and jumped inside, quiet laughed echoed up the chute for a few seconds before a soft thump.

"Go on! Your turn!" Natty insisted.

Nervously Billy opened the door, he couldn't see the bottom, he hoped Natty wasn't lying about the tub, if he hot the bottom floor from this height…

"Is this safe?" He asked.

"Of course, Pavel just did it, didn't he?" She scoffed putting her hands on her hips, "You don't even reach terminal velocity, it's not THAT high."

Neither brother knew what 'terminal velocity' was but they were not in a hurry to find out.

"Well it's all good for your kind, you can't get hurt." Jake argued, "Is it safe for us?"

"My kind?" Natty blinked.

"Ghosts." Billy replied, "You're one of the ghosts that haunted this place aren't you?"

Natty blinked at him, then proceeded to fall over in a fit of laughter. It took her several minutes to get a hold of herself, by that time Pavel had joined her and was looking concerned. Still chuckling she whipped her eyes, they were full of tears of laughter.

"I-I'm not a ghost." She giggled, "I'm a girl just like you! This place isn't haunted!"

"But everybody says it is! They hear voices of the homeless children of London!" Billy insisted.

"Yeah, that's me and my family! We used to live here when we had no where else to go." She explained.

"Natty! Pavel Time to go!" Came a deep voice from the first floor.

The four children bolted down the stairs to find a tall man waiting for them along with several other children and a few teenagers.

"There you are," The man greeted them, "Come, enough playing around you need to get on with your studies. Pavel, your brother is looking for you."

"Leo." Pavel smiled before running out the door.

"You'd better go home." Natty turned to the boys, "Your mother is cooking chicken roast tonight."

"How did you kno-"

"I observed." She nodded.

"Bread rolls too." The man added, "Come on, John is waiting."

"Coming dad."

"Bye then." Billy waved.

"If you want, you can tell your friends I'm a ghost. It could be fun!" Natty waved.

As the group walked away Billy could hear them taking.

"Ghosts?" The man scoffed, "Really Natty I thought you knew better than to play make believe."


	45. Chapter 45: Fireworks

**Pictures by Zebraanimator and Lindsey-Cullen1 on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 16**

**Nina - 6**

**Emily - 13**

**Mason - 8**

**Riley - 10**

**Clara - 5**

**Natty - 9**

**Halie - 14**

**Marie - 8**

**Dan - 12**

**Ricky - 13**

**Lisa - 7**

**Carlo - 11**

**Mikey - 9**

**Cedric - 3**

* * *

"Wow look at this place!" Natty exclaimed as she ran along the edge of the huge white stone fountain in the middle of the grassy courtyard of Holmes manor.

Mycroft had insisted Sherlock come and visit their childhood home for the afternoon and discuss what they were going to do with the huge house. Mycroft no longer wanted to live their on his own, there were dozens of bedrooms, a library piled high with books, kitchens, bathrooms spas. It was too big for one person to live in, but he couldn't sell it as Sherlock owned half of the estate. Naturally everybody wanted to see where Sherlock had grown up and so now John, Sherlock, Mycroft, Lestrade, Mira and Mrs. Hudson were spending the day on the grounds.

Right now the doors from the library that opened out into the huge garden were open and the whole group was switching back and forth. When Sherlock had first opened the doors to the colossal library everybody had gaped in wonder. The room was huge, the shelves required ladders and there were two levels! There was even a make shift lab set up in one corner that Sherlock had made when he was a child.

"Look out below!" Carlo yelled, swinging across the room on a long rope, which he'd tied to the chandelier. He was wearing an old pirate hat on his head and held a small wooden sword, which clashed against the similar toy being held by Mason on the ground.

Joe and Halie meanwhile had made themselves comfortable with a pile of books, chatting about every single new thing they learnt. You would think it would of disturbed Clara sitting so close by but she was wrapped in the world of Dracula. Mrs. Hudson sat drinking some tea one of the maids had bought er, smiling and observing the children at play.

Mycroft seemed to actually enjoy the children's company for once and was, much to Sherlock's chagrin, telling stories to several of them. Most of them about Sherlock's childhood dream of being a pirate, earning him quite a few giggles. Mira found the stories especially entertaining, she sat by Mycroft with Cedric in her lap.

Soon enough The Holmes brothers decided on an agreement for the house, they would keep it and pay a small staff to maintain it, its not as if they didn't have the money. The house would be used for parties, Mycroft's political get togethers and in case of emergency. They were not sure what constitutes an emergency really but in this family it could mean anything.

The afternoon came around and Lisa, Marie and Dan busied themselves with various chemicals and tools they found in Sherlock's old room. After a few hours of toying they discovered they could create some pretty good sparklers and even a few roman candles. With the help of Ricky and Emily they even managed to make some crude fire works.

Now the sun had just set, leaving the sky a deep blue, fringed with red on the horizon. John and Lestrade were stretched out laying on the grassy hill at the edge of the garden while Sherlock sat by John and Mycroft read his paper. The politician had point blank refused to soil his suit by sitting on the ground and so he sat with Mrs. Hudson at a little table under the cherry tree.

"Carefully Natty!" Joe laughed as another one of their home made fire works went off in an explosion of blue and red flames. Mira danced around them, giggling with the children.

"Watch this!" She giggle, setting of several thin grin snakes of sparkles that they all dodged around.

"Isn't that sort of dangerous?" Lestrade asked casually, not really caring.

"They can take care of themselves." Sherlock mused.

"Doesn't stop you coddling them." John prodded.

"I do NOT coddle." Sherlock huffed, unfortunately Clara chose that point in time to scream after being shocked by one of the fire works and Sherlock shot up like a rabbit. Only to sit back down once he realised all was well, with Lestrade and John snickering.

"You know for a half sociopathic mad detective you are actually a half decent father." Lestrade smiled watching the kids run all over the lawn putting divots in the grass with their sparklers and fireworks.

"I think that was a compliment..." Sherlock raised an eyebrow at him.

"I just realised the whole family is ere today." John mused.

"Family?" Sherlock questioned.

"Yeah, that's what we are." John smiled, "Mrs. Hudson's the nan, Mira's the mum, you're the dad, Lestrade Mycroft and I are the uncles and those little ones down there are the kids."

"Strange family in which nobody is related." Lestrade chortled, "But family none the less."

"That logic makes no sense at all." Sherlock shook his head, "I will concede to Mira and iI being their parents after all they are adopted under our name but Mrs. Hudson is not my mother. So she cant be their grandmother and while I loath to say it Mycroft is the only uncle they have, being my brother and all."

"Oh come on, John is more of a brother to you than he is." Lestrade teased, "Family isn't just about blood you know."

Sherlock looked around at the group gathered in the garden, Mrs. Hudson and Mycroft chatting by the tree, Mira and the kids running around the garden, Lestrade and John laying with him on the grass. While his parents had never neglected him as such, they were not around much when he was young and Mycroft was in an entirely different world, he cared for himself really.

Lestrade and John were right, this was family.

"Perhaps you're right." He murmured contently.

"Did I just hear that?" John gasped in mock surprise, "Sherlock Holmes admitting somebody else was right?I must of slipped through into an alternate dimension!"

"Better check the sky isn't raining blood it's surely a sign of the world coming to an end." Lestrade teased.

Sherlock gave him a light kick which sent him rolling down the hill.

"Hey!" He yelled, "John getting back for me!"

John pushed Sherlock hard, gravity sent him downwards but not before he could grab John's coat and pull him down with him. The two rolled down the hill and ended up in an awkward heap on top of Lestrade who didn't have the time to move.

"Jeez, for a skinny guy you're heavy." The inspector wheezed.

"It's all John." Sherlock replied with a grin and he tried to untangle himself from the pile of limbs.

"Dad!" Mason called, "We've got one left!"

"The big one!" Dan grinned, "Come light it with us!"

"Alright." Sherlock nodded, pulling out a long match and striking it against the stone path at the edge of the garden till it lit, he then reached out his hand as the children crowded round him.

"Together."

All the Irregulars placed a hand on the long stick and pushed it under the make shift firework until it started to spark.

"Quick get back!" Mikey laughed as the group stood back and the rocket shot into the air and burst into thousands of different sparks, every colour of the rainbow.

"Brilliant!" Natty squealed, Sherlock grinned.

All was well.

**And now my friends I am sad to say, that there is only the epilogue left. It's been written for a while but I am making a few changes to it, plus I'm writing in a new character.**

**All of you should check out Retsin on DeviantArt, they (i dunno if its a boy or girl) have done some great art for this story. They are also te ones who get to be written into the last chapter :) **


	46. Chapter 46: Epilogue

**_Nineteen Years Later..._**

Rosenburg cursed his poor sense of direction, he'd managed to miss his tube stop and ended up in the wrong area. He thought once he got up to the surface that he'd be able to find his way to Scotland Yard easily but of course he was hopelessly lost, late on his first day as an officer too.

"Your lost aren't cha?" Came a voice from an alleyway, the middle aged man pushed his glasses up onto the bridge of his nose and stared at the voices owner. A little boy with black curls was standing there looking at him.

"Yes, I'm looking for Scotland Yard." he admitted, the boy grinned.

"I'll take you there!" He offered, "Follow me, I know a short cut!"

What did he have to lose?

"Come on try and keep up!"

Keeping up with the child proved harder than he thought, they jumped fences, bins, shot through alley ways. People stared at him but ignored the boy, a running child was nothing new. Rosenburg was seriously frustrated with himself for not exercising more.

"Here we are!" The boy smiled pointing across the road to where the shiny building stood, "Scotland Yard!"

"Thank you..."

"Sam." The boy finished, "Name's Sam."

"Well, I'm Sylvester Rosenburg." Rosenburg smiled as he looked away from the boy and up at the building, "How did you-?"

He turned to ask the boy how he knew where to go but the boy had vanished, how odd. Surely he would of heard if he ran away? He scanned the crowds but the boy but he was gone, oh well.

He grinned as he walked into the huge building, glancing around at the many officers working the floor. He raised an eye brow at a young man and woman set apart from the rest, each wearing a long dark trench coat and blue scarf, odd sort of uniform to wear as a police officer.

He was so busy looking at the two he didn't see the person hurrying down the corridor until he'd smacked into him sending papers flying.

"I'm sorry!" The young man blushed gathering his things up.

"Oh I'll have to sort all those again." Came the sigh of a woman.

Rosenburg looked up to see the woman in the funny outfit standing over him, her flaming red hair reaching down her back.

"You must forgive my little brother Cedric, he's been in a rush all morning since he solved that triple murder last night." She grinned offering him a hand, "Riley here has been trying to help him get his paper work finished."

"Dad never had to do this." Cedric grumbled as he stood, "He had the right idea..."

"No problem." Rosenburg sighed, "I'm Sylvester."

"I'm Clara Holmes and these are my brothers." The red head smiled, "You came here in a rush I see."

"How did you-?"

"Your hair is pushed back by the wind, your tie is off balance and your shoes were freshly polished this morning but now show scuff marks." Riley replied for her.

"Wait a tick, Holmes right?" Sylvester asked them, the three nodded, "I've heard about you, a whole bunch of people in the Holmes family make up the Irregular Division of Scotland Yard!"

"That's us." Came another voice, he turned and was greeted with yet another girl in a long coat and scarf, "I'm Natalia, but you can call me Natty. I saw you run in here, I'm to show you to your station."

"Um thank you." He replied flustered. Natty didn't wait up for him and soon he found himself hurrying along after the woman trying to keep up. She weaved through the crowded area easily, he kept bumping into everything.

He, like everybody else in London, knew about The Irregular Division. It had started a little over ten years ago when several young men and woman entered Scotland Yard with no special police force training. At first people were skeptical until they learnt that every member who ever joined the special division was or had been trained by the infamous Sherlock Holmes.

Every few years another one of those young men or women would join the force and amaze everybody wit their skills. Rosenburg had heard people started begging for their children to be trained too but Holmes turned them away. Nobody really knew how the division operated, only that they chose their own cases and that they only took the most interesting.

"So, is it true all you 'Irregulars' were trained by Holmes since you were little?" He asked Natty.

"Oh yes, he raised us. He's more than a teacher he's our dad." She replied.

"Oh." He breathed, trying to make conversation, "So, all of your siblings are in the Irregular Division?"

"No, most of us." She replied, "My eldest brother Joe is a DI here, he's head of your new division."

"That I am!" a man who Rosenburg assumed was Joe flew out the door and into the hall with them.

"Good to meet you." Rosenburg shook the mans hand.

"You too, I would talk longer but I have a situation to deal with." He grinned, "Natty gather everybody up."

"What is it?" Natty asked.

"Code Blue." Joe grinned darkly.

"Oh dear."

...

"How bad do you think it is?" Carlo mused as they drove up the large road inside of Holmes Manor.

"Not sure, you know how things get." Lisa sighed as they exited the car, their siblings had just arrived also, "Uncle John sent the message about thirty minutes ago, it might of escalated by now."

"Its been ages since a Code Blue. I'm sure it's nothing." Mason smiled.

The smile turned to a look of shock wen he opened the door and a book came flying out.

"Or not." Marie smiled.

They could already hear the voices inside.

"For the thousandth time, No!"

"Sherlock you are being unreasonable!"

"I am not retiring Mycroft!"

"For Gods sakes Sherlock get off the banister before you fall and break your neck!"

"Are you on his side now John?"

"No, but you have to admit he has a point, it's not safe to go running around London."

"Ridiculous, I'm perfectly healthy! Don't but in Lestrade!"

"Sherlock so help me if you don't get your feet on the floor!"

"Shut your trap Mycroft!"

The Irregulars laughed as they entered the large front hall of the manor and took in the sight. Despite being only a few months of fifty five their father ooked mostly the same as he always had, his hair was a lighter shade now though, more like dark grey than black. He was currently standing on the banister above the first floor looking down at their uncles. Lestrade and Mycroft had aged much more and unlike their father were both retired, well Mycroft was mostly retired anyway. John's hair was now almost completely grey now, not surprising really as he was brushing up against sixty.

"Well what about John then?" Mycroft asked, "You can't keep dragging him around."

"Where he goes I go." John defended, "I can't let him go off on is own."

"I do not know what you did to make this man so loyal Sherlock but it must of been impressive." Lestrade sighed.

"Can't we all just get along?" Ricky teased alerting the men to their presence.

"Ah, I see John called you." Sherlock greeted and then proceeded to front flip off the banister and land perfectly on the ground, "Anything interesting today?"

"I still don't know how he does that without breaking his legs." Emily mused.

"Sorry we're late." Joe apologized, "I know how much it annoys you when we're late for these lunches Uncle Mycroft."

"If it bugs Uncle Mycroft than I'm not sorry at all." Nina teased.

"Nina, what have I told you about insulting my brother?" Sherlock asked strictly.

"To only do it if the insult is at least half good?" Nina replied, Sherlock grinned.

"That's my girl!"

"Where is mum? Carlo asked as the group made their way to the garden.

"Oh you know how she is." John sighed, "Ever since she and Myers got hitched they've been all over the place."

"On my credit card." Mycroft grumbled.

"Hey we should be thankful mum could finally get married at all, every suitor got scared away by Dad." Mason poked a thumb in their old mans direction.

"When do you think Joe is going to mention he's proposed to Alice?" Natty whispered to him.

"Hey keep it down!" Joe hissed, "I don't know when I'll tell him but it will be me saying so!"

"You might want to do it quickly, what with your finace being knocked up and all." Natty grinned slyly.

"What!"

Joe had his phone out and dialing before he'd even managed to race out of the room.

"Natty that was cruel." John half scolded, trying to hide his laugh, "Alice isn't pregnant."

"No, but that was totally worth it." She smiled.

"I do not see why he is so nervous about telling about his engagement." Sherlock cut in, making them all jump, "I saw the outline of a ring in his pocket last Friday before he went to dinner with her."

"Jeez dad don't sneak up on us like that!" Mason swore.

"Come along, Mycroft will be in a rage if we don't eat soon." Sherlock continued, "And if I am correct in my assumptions, and I always am, Joe will be furious upon his return."

"Can't we ever had a family lunch without it descending into madness?" Jon groaned, "I still smell like spaghetti from the last time."

Sherlock grinned.

"Oh John, where's the fun in that?"

**See the fanart on my DeviantArt account (Im Ulura there too) to see what they look like now. **

**It is complete! I can't believe it's over! I LOVED writing tis story but I'm afraid all good things must come to an end. **

**Thank you to all who reviewed and those who have stuck with it. Check my page to see a list of Fanart available on this story. Likewise if you've created something I'd LOVE to see it and I'll add it to the list!**


	47. Chapter 47

**I am considered writing a third story in this series called "Irregular Cameos".**

**Instead of being a linear story like the first two,**

**They will be various one-shots, two-shots and drabbles about the Irregulars from all sorts of points in time.**

**As usual I ask to know whether you guys would like it to happen or not. I might even experiment with various AU's. Different ways people discover that Sherlock has kids and maybe even some supernatural or sci-fi ones.**

**I could start it after my exams**

**Your thoughts?**


	48. Chapter 48: Irregular Cameos

Alright, I've fixed the problem and now Irregular Cameos is up and running!

Enjoy!


End file.
